Tag Archives: Broward County

Low Pressure System Causes Floods in South Florida

A low pressure system designated as Invest 90L caused floods in parts of South Florida on Wednesday. At 8:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Invest 90L was located at latitude 28.6°N and longitude 81.0°W which put it about 10 miles (15 km) northwest of Titusville, Florida. The low pressure system was moving toward the northeast at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1010 mb.

Even though the center of the low pressure system moved across Central Florida, it produced a band of thunderstorms well to the south of the center of circulation. The band of thunderstorms dropped persistent rain over parts of southwestern and southeastern Florida. Naples reported 3.94 inches (100.1 mm) of rain on Tuesday. There were reports of street flooding in Naples on Wednesday. Ft. Lauderdale reported 6.77 inches (172.0 mm) of rain on Wednesday. Miami reported 2,25 inches (57.2 mm) of rain on Wednesday. West Palm Beach reported 2.38 inches (60.4 mm) of rain on Wednesday. There were reports of urban flooding in Miami, Miami Beach and Hallandale in southeastern Florida.

The low pressure system will move through an environment marginally favorable for the formation of a tropical cyclone during the next 24 hours. The low pressure system will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C during the next few hours. An upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will produce westerly winds that will blow across the top of the low pressure system. Those winds will cause strong vertical wind shear. The vertical wind shear will inhibit development of a tropical cyclone, but the wind shear could start to decrease on Thursday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center is indicating that probability is 20% that the low pressure system develops into a tropical cyclone after it moves over the western Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the southeast U.S.

The upper level trough will steer the low pressure system toward the northeast during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track the low pressure system will move over the western Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. A new center of circulation could develop along the line of thunderstorms in the southern part of the current circulation.