PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – The hottest day of the year so far has fueled a strong line of severe thunderstorms.
The threat covers all of South Florida including Miami, Fort Lauderdale and the Florida Keys.
A report of a wind gust 54 mph just west of Kendall near Country Walk came in just before 6 p.m., according to Luke Dorris, Local 10 Weather Authority meteorologist. “But they aren’t maintaining power for long,” he said. “They pop up, then they settle back down.”
A severe thunderstorm watch remains in place until 8 p.m. for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was showing general departure delays because of the thunderstorms. Gate hold and taxi delays are between 1 hour and 1 minute and 1 hour and 15 minutes and increasing.
Despite South Florida being in a rainfall deficit, minor flooding is possible.
Other than some light rain Saturday night, it has been an entire month since the last measurable rainfall in Fort Lauderdale.
Rainfall of 1-2 inches will take time to soak into the very dry soil, which can create a short-term flash flooding threat.
While a few thunderstorms will linger into Monday, the threat for severe weather will have ended.
The weather story will then turn over to another day of 90-degree temperatures.