Severe Weather Threatens Miami as Tornado Watch is Issued for Florida on Sunday

Severe Weather Alert for South Florida

After a sunny start to the weekend across Florida, the Sunshine State will finish with a round of severe weather. The primary threats include damaging winds and the possibility of tornadoes, particularly in South Florida.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued a Tornado Watch for South Florida and the Florida Keys until 2 p.m. EST. This watch includes Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Myers.

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Threat of Severe Thunderstorms in Florida

A storm system that brought tornadoes to Texas on Friday and threatened flooding along the Gulf Coast on Saturday is forecast to sweep thunderstorms into Florida on Sunday.

With enhanced wind shear and abundant moisture, conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms to develop.

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Risk of Severe Weather in Miami and Fort Lauderdale Areas

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has placed the greater Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas, including the Florida Keys, at a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather on Sunday. The main threats include isolated tornadoes and damaging wind gusts of 60 mph.

For more information on tornado safety, check out our article on how to identify the safest places inside your home.

A Level 1 severe weather threat also covers a large portion of the Florida Peninsula, including Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Myers.

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Heavy Rain and Flooding Potential

As the low-pressure system moves across the South, heavy rain will bring additional moisture to waterlogged areas.

Parts of southern Georgia, North Florida, Southwest Florida, and South Florida could experience isolated flooding on Sunday and Monday.

Bad Weather Delays SpaceX Return of Ax-3 Crew

Due to the unfavorable weather conditions expected off the coast of Florida, the bad weather forecast means a couple of extra days in space for SpaceX’s Ax-3 crew on the International Space Station. The crew was initially scheduled to return home on Saturday evening but has been delayed until at least Tuesday.

SpaceX has multiple potential landing sites off both Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts to retrieve the Crew Dragon spacecraft and its crew.

For more information on why weather is critical for a safe SpaceX Crew Dragon splashdown, read our article here.

The forecast must meet specific weather criteria for a safe landing and recovery, including wind speed no greater than 15 feet per second and wave height no greater than a 7-degree wave slope. According to NASA’s landing criteria, lightning must be farther than 10 miles away, and rain chances need to be around 25%.

The strongest storms will move offshore by Sunday evening, ending the severe weather threat. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected on Monday before drier and sunnier weather returns for the rest of the week.