Cars drive through a flooded street after days of heavy rainfall in North Miami. Florida, on Sept. 23, 2026. Similar rain on Oct. 1 set records in Key West and kept Miami-Dade doused, too. The weekend of Oct. 3-4 brings drier air.
Al Diaz
adiaz@miamiherald.com
South Florida enters its spin dry cycle Friday and the weekend after record rainfall fell on Key West Thursday and Miami-Dade and Broward endured a day’s worth of steady rain and drizzle.
The forecast calls for just a 30% chance of showers Saturday, dropping to 20% on Sunday in South Florida, according to the National Weather Service in Miami.
“Sunday is shaping up to be the best day of the weekend for outdoor plans,” said CBS News Miami meteorologist Scott Withers.
Key West’s rain chances are slightly more elevated, with a 50% chance Friday, 40% Saturday and then dropping similar to the rest of South Florida into the next workweek. There’s a coastal flood alert for Key West through Friday evening.
The next stretch of storms arrive on Tuesday and brew on Wednesday at 70%.
“South Florida remains in its rainy season,” Withers said.
He also warned of heavy rip currents along coastal beaches on Friday. The rip current risk remains through Saturday evening for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, the weather service said.
Key West was Key Wet on Thursday.
“Well October just started and it has been a wet first day to say the least,” the National Weather Service in Key West posted to Facebook Thursday evening. “The ‘bullseye’ was just north of Key West with Key West seeing anywhere between 3.5-5.5 inches of rainfall.”
That’s the most rain for an Oct. 1 since 2.5 inches fell in 1943 during World War II, according to the Keys weather service.
Key West-based Gwen Filosa Media posted video of kids with large inflatable pool toys playing on deluged sidewalks in Key West. Cars drove by like “U boats.” Not a good idea. When water gets in a car’s engine you can pretty much kiss that car goodbye.
Workers with floor squeegees swept water out of the entranceway of Fausto’s grocery store’s White Street location. County government offices closed Thursday in Key West over flood concerns.
This story was originally published October 2, 2026 at 9:52 AM.
Miami Herald
Miami Herald consumer trends reporter Howard Cohen, a 2017 Media Excellence Awards winner, has covered pop music, theater, health and fitness, obituaries, municipal government, breaking news and general assignment. He started his career in the Features department at the Miami Herald in 1991. Cohen is an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Communication.
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