The final weekend before Christmas is going to be a messy one as a low pressure system sweeps into the state from the Gulf of Mexico and brings with it possible tropical-storm-like conditions including heavy rain, gusty winds, flooding and potential for severe Many flood and wind warnings have been posted across the state through the weekend, and coastal communities are bracing for beach erosion while continuing to recover from storms such as Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole.
A cold front that brought rain to South Florida will begin to lift northward during the weekend. The risk of flash flooding and severe weather will rise when the rain and strongest wind gusts arrive. A majority of Florida has been placed in a Level 1 out of 5 on the severe thunderstorm risk for Saturday.
The water has been pushed from the bay because of the strong winds. There is a chance of gusts over 40 mph this weekend, with 45 mph possible on the east coast. The Gulf side could gusts to 40 mph or higher. The rain totals have trended down from where they were at the beginning of the workweek but it's still expected to be wet by the end of the weekend. There is a chance that areas of South Florida will see 3-6 inches of rain over the weekend. There is a concern of higher rain totals in the Big Bend region of Florida, including the Panama City area along the Gulf Coast and Jacksonville.
There is a chance of flooding from the Daytona Beach area south through the Space Coast and through Vero Beach. The Palm Coast area is included in the flood advisories. High Surf Advisoryies can be found along the entire Atlantic coastline in Florida. The National Weather Service office in Florida warns of waves that could reach as high as 13 feet crashing against the shore, which could lead to beach erosion and coastal flooding.