Expect a rainy start to the week across a dry Treasure Coast that brings chances of high winds and small-sized hail.
The potential for strong and isolated severe storms begin on the hot and humid afternoon of May 11 and into the evening before a front moves through the area mid-week, said meteorologist Derrick Weitlich with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
The main threats from the storms are strong winds at 40-60 mph and quarter-size hail, measuring about 1 inch in diameter, between 3 and 11 p.m., Weitlich said. There’s also the possibility of a “brief tornado,” he said.
The storms also bring heavy rainfall with 60-70% chances of rain in the afternoon to early evening, he said.
High temperatures should reach the low 90s, which is above the normal high temperature of 85 degrees for this time of the year, Weitlich said. The heat index, or what it feels like, was between 100 and 105 degrees.
He warned of a major heat risk across the area and advised residents to stay hydrated and take frequent breaks in air-conditioned locations.
“These heat levels are high enough to impact anybody in the general population,” Weitlich said.
The front then moves into Central Florida the next day, May 12, keeping rain chances high at 70% for most of the Treasure Coast, he said. Showers and storms were expected again in the afternoon and into the early evening.
High temperatures come down a little bit and get closer to normal in the mid- to upper 80s through the end of the week and into the weekend, Weitlich said.
Rain chances remain high at 60-70% the next day, May 13, as the front pushes through the area, he said.
They begin to decrease May 14 behind the front, dropping down to 20-30% chances of rain through the weekend, Weitlich said.
Any rain will help with worsening drought conditions across the Treasure Coast, according to weather and fire officials.
The Florida Forest Service uses the Keetch-Byram drought index 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 May 10, the drought index had worsened to 500 in Martin County and 450 in St. Lucie and Indian River counties. No burn bans were in effect.
Most of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties remained in “severe drought,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor map released May 7. 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.
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: Florida weather brings heavy rain, chance of high winds, small hail
Reporting by Laurie K. Blandford, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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