Tracking The Tropics: Tropical Wave Bringing Plenty Of Rain, Coastal Flooding

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A soggy start to the month of August across South Florida. Scattered showers and storms have been moving in throughout the day and this is only the beginning of a wet pattern that will stick around through the weekend.

Many more rounds of storms are expected to develop over our area the next few days due to all the deep tropical moisture associated with the disorganized tropical wave that is located between the Bahamas and Cuba Thursday.

Tropical formation potential remains low as the disturbance tracks west-northwestward then makes a turn to the northeast direction by Sunday when conditions could become marginally conducive for development. Regardless of formation, a stormy pattern is in place for South Florida.

Through the rest of Thursday, scattered storms will impact Broward, Miami-Dade and the Keys.

A break from the rain is expected from time to time, but the frequent rain bursts will cause flooding across our area.

Flooding is the main impact from this rain event. Heavy downpours will be possible that may lead to ponding on the roads and flooding in poor drainage and low-lying neighborhoods.

There is also a new moon phase Friday, which brings the King Tides, the highest tides of the year.

The highest tide window will occur around 11 p.m. Friday. The King Tide coupled with rainfall from the tropical system could create a drainage problem along low-lying areas of the coast.

The system could bring 2 to 4 inches of rain to parts of South Florida between Thursday and Sunday, but up to 5 to 7 inches in a few spots may occur.

Some storms could turn strong to severe with the potential for lightning, gusty winds and waterspouts as well.

After the disturbance moves towards the northeast over the western Atlantic on Sunday, South Florida will still be under plenty of moisture trailing behind the wave.

At the same time, southwesterly flow will help to bring up even more moisture resulting in more storms early next week but mainly during the afternoon hours.

While South Florida deals with a stormy weekend, there is another disturbance brewing in the Atlantic.

This area of low pressure is still far away from South Florida and is moving westward towards the Caribbean. This tropical wave now has a high chance for formation in the next five days and a tropical depression is likely to form over the weekend, several hundred miles east of the Lesser Antilles.