Hurricane Kirk, a Category 4 storm, is churning in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. While it will eventually veer off toward the European coast, we can expect elevated tides and a risk of coastal flooding along the East Coast by Sunday.
As our trusted Miami weather watcher Brian McNoldy points out on his tropical Atlantic update blog, "The wave field from Kirk will spread throughout the Atlantic, reaching the U.S. east coast on Sunday, resulting in elevated high tides and increased risks of coastal flooding and erosion."
Following closely behind Kirk is Tropical Storm Leslie, expected to strengthen into a hurricane soon. But like Kirk, she's an Atlantic beastie and expected to stay that way.
What's more pressing for South Florida is a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico that's creeping our way. The National Hurricane Center gives it a 40 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone within the week. Regardless of development, it's going to bring days of rain beginning Sunday, with potential flooding in Miami and surrounding areas.
"There's general agreement that it will begin to drift east toward the Florida peninsula, with rainfall beginning on Sunday and lasting for days," McNoldy explains.Hey South Florida!👋
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) October 4, 2024
Forecasts continue to indicate the potential of heavy rainfall as well as urban flooding occurring across our area over the next seven days.
As we remain a few days away from the window of greatest concern with this setup, let's discuss: pic.twitter.com/l3Fl1O5kol
Models even hint at a tropical storm midweek, so be ready for heavy downpours, not just scattered showers. McNoldy warns that while "wind will not be the primary hazard from this; it will rain," with the potential for significant flooding.
With systems like these swirling around, staying informed is key. In South Florida, the weather always keeps us guessing.
