Expect dry and hot weather in the upper 80s and low 90s through the end of the week on the Treasure Coast before a front brings rain and storm chances this weekend.
Temperatures were expected above normal on April 30 with highs reaching 90 degrees in both Vero Beach and Fort Pierce and 89 degrees in Stuart, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
Record high temperatures for April 30 were set in 1975 in Vero Beach at 91 degrees and in 1971 in Fort Pierce at 97 degrees. The average high temperature for both is 84 degrees. No historical data is available for Stuart.
Conditions are mostly dry with little to no rain chances in Vero Beach, Fort Pierce or Stuart, according to the National Weather Service.
Similar conditions are expected May 1, and a moderate risk of rip currents continues at beaches.
The hottest day is expected to be May 2 with high temperatures in the low 90s, strong and gusty southwest winds and sensitive fire weather, according to the National Weather Service.
Conditions are expected to be hot and windy before rain and storm chances increase in the afternoon and into overnight.
High temperatures should be cooler behind the front, dropping down to the mid-70s to low 80s on May 3 and the upper 70s to low 80s on May 4, according to the National Weather Service.
In addition to cooler temperatures, the front also should bring much-needed rain with scattered to numerous showers late May 2 into May 3.
Rain chances were expected to be 50% on May 2; 70% on May 3; and 30% on May 4, according to the National Weather Service.
Drought conditions remained the same as last week without significant rain in the area.
Most of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties remained in “severe drought,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor map released April 30. The map is updated weekly.
The western part of Martin County, a southwest section of St. Lucie County and a small western portion of Indian River County remained in “extreme drought,” according to the map.
The Florida Forest Service uses the Keetch-Byram drought index, which is updated more regularly, to estimate the dryness of the soil and duff layers. The index increases each day without rain and decreases when it rains. The scale ranges from 0 to 800, with 800 being the driest.
As of April 30, the drought index had worsened to 400 in Martin County and 300 in St. Lucie and Indian River counties. There are no burn bans in effect.
Laurie K. Blandford is a breaking news reporter with TCPalm. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Dry, hot weather before Florida front brings rain, storms this weekend
Reporting by Laurie K. Blandford, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
