SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (WINK) — If you’re planning your holiday weekend, expect lots of heat with morning sunshine followed by afternoon storms.
Temperatures will be running above normal through the holiday weekend, with highs climbing into the lower to mid 90s, especially if you’re away from the coast. The ocean breeze will offer some relief along the shoreline, but head inland and it’s going to feel brutal in the upper 90s and low 100s, when you factor in the humidity.
Sunshine will kick off each day this holiday weekend. A sea breeze pushing in from the west coast will spark scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms each afternoon. Heavy rain and lightning will remain your primary storm threats, though an isolated strong storm cannot be ruled out. These storms will roll in during the afternoon and evening hours, lingering until around midnight before skies clear out. After midnight, expect mostly clear conditions.
Looking ahead to next week, tropical moisture will ramp up late week, increasing our storm coverage even more so.
Despite the daily storms, extreme drought conditions persist across SWFL. Scattered afternoon storms, while dramatic, rarely deliver the widespread, soaking rain needed to make a dent in a drought, so water conservation remains important. Now that rainy season is in motion, we’ll gradually see our drought improve, but likely not until June.
Stay cool and weather-aware out there!