It’s likely going to be a rainy and stormy Labor Day in Palm Beach County.
The rain chances linger around 80% to 90% on Labor Day, which is on Monday, Sept. 7, said Will Redman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami. The most widespread rain and storms are expected to happen in the afternoon and evening that day.
There are high chances of rain and thunderstorms each day this weekend and next week, with isolated instances of flooding possible and elevated to significant lightning risk expected through the weekend.
An abundance of moisture — partly from the remnants of former Tropical Storm Dolly — is hanging over parts of South Florida, which has led to a “stagnant pattern” of rain, Redman said. Former Tropical Storm Dolly weakened
when it met wind shear and dry air.
“There’s high pressure over the central U.S., and then we got an influx of southeasterly flow over us from the tropics, and it’s not really changing for a while,” Redman said. “The pattern is just kind of locked in place.”
The rush of rain has made a dent in improving the drought conditions in South Florida, particularly in the Everglades, according to the weather service.
Still, the Atlantic Ocean is quiet, even as Florida is in the peak of hurricane season on Sept. 10 and 11. Tropical cyclone activity is not expected in the next seven days, according to the National Hurricane Center on Sept. 3.
How hot will it get over Labor Day weekend?
The high temperatures are expected in the low 90s over the weekend and on Labor Day. But rain should cool the air down. The maximum heat index, or “feels-like,” temperature on Labor Day is expected at about 109 degrees.
It is forecast at 108 degrees on Saturday, Sept. 5, and 106 degrees on Sunday, Sept. 6, in West Palm Beach.
"Whenever rain starts, it's going to cool things down a bit," Redman said. "But before the rain really gets going across the area, low 90s looks to be the general forecast."
Maya Washburn is a Trending News Reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Rain and storms expected over Labor Day weekend in Palm Beach County
