textproduct: Miami - South Florida

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 646 PM EDT Fri Apr 3 2026 - Dangerous rip currents will continue at all Atlantic beaches through the weekend. - A moderate to strong easterly breeze may bring periods of hazardous conditions to the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay waters through Saturday.

UPDATE

Issued at 100 PM EDT Fri Apr 3 2026

No major changes to the forecast. Bumped up PoPs along both coasts this afternoon into early evening because the NBM was too low. Also extended the high rip current risk for the east coast beaches through Sunday.

SHORT TERM

(Today through Saturday) Issued at 227 AM EDT Fri Apr 3 2026

Surface high pressure will expand more over the Florida Peninsula today in tandem with a robust trough progressing across the central US. Steady easterly flow will continue for the South Florida region due to being located on the southern/southwestern portions of the high pressure circulation. With this high pressure pattern setting up, conditions will stabilize today with minimal to no shower activity expected as some drier air filters in (PWATs falling below 1 inch). However, given a likely sea breeze development there will still be low end chances for a couple of isolated showers across the area, mainly for Southwest Florida under the brisk easterly flow. Saturday will largely be a similar setup with surface high pressure and ongoing easterly flow dominating, but a mid-level low over the Bahamas may drift closer to the area and result in a slight increase in rain chances with PoPs currently around 30%.

High temperatures for the next couple of days will still be in the 80s with the hotter temperatures (upper 80s) being felt across the Gulf coast areas under this easterly wind regime.

LONG TERM

(Saturday night through Thursday) Issued at 227 AM EDT Fri Apr 3 2026

As the large synoptic trough swings across the Eastern Seaboard on Sunday and into early next week, the attendant frontal boundary will advect southwards and eventually wash out in north-central Florida next week as it mixes with the warmer air mass. As this occurs, moisture will settle and pool across the area. Ensembles are highlighting a secondary shortwave trough to then advect across the Gulf and towards the Florida Peninsula that will provide extra forcing in tandem with the diurnal sea breeze circulations. Therefore, with deep moisture anticipated to pool over South Florida (PWATs rising to 1.5-1.8 inches or higher) and multiple lifting mechanisms, the potential exists for some widespread rainfall heading towards the middle of next week as guidance starts to come into some better agreement. Total QPF ranges will have to be ironed out over the next several days, but all in all a more active pattern appears to be taking shape for early to middle of next week.

High temperatures each day are expected in the low to mid 80s for most areas through Monday with upper 80s for Gulf coast metro areas. By Tuesday next week, temperatures may fall back into the upper 70s for a couple of days as the front stalls and rain cooled air occurs.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 646 PM EDT Fri Apr 3 2026

Easterly winds 10-15 kts with gusts of 20-25 kts through the period. SCT to BKN MVFR ceilings expected with ceilings roughly 2-3k ft.

MARINE

Issued at 227 AM EDT Fri Apr 3 2026

A fresh to strong easterly breeze will continue across the Atlantic waters through the first half of the upcoming weekend. A Small Craft Advisory has been issued for the Atlantic waters and Biscayne Bay that continues through Saturday due to sustained winds expected at 20-25 kts. Seas across the Atlantic waters will mainly be in the 4-6 ft range through Saturday with wave heights forecast to remain in the 2-3 ft range across the local Gulf waters.

BEACHES

Issued at 227 AM EDT Fri Apr 3 2026

The risk for dangerous rip currents will continue at all Atlantic beaches today through at least the first half of this weekend as gusty onshore winds persist.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Miami 71 82 72 82 / 20 30 20 40 West Kendall 68 84 68 84 / 20 20 20 40 Opa-Locka 71 83 71 84 / 20 20 20 50 Homestead 72 83 72 82 / 20 20 20 40 Fort Lauderdale 72 80 72 80 / 20 20 30 50 N Ft Lauderdale 71 80 72 80 / 20 30 30 50 Pembroke Pines 72 84 72 85 / 20 20 20 50 West Palm Beach 70 81 70 81 / 10 20 20 40 Boca Raton 71 80 71 81 / 20 30 30 50 Naples 68 88 68 86 / 10 20 0 50

MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

FL...High Rip Current Risk through Sunday evening for FLZ168-172-173.

AM...Small Craft Advisory until 1 AM EDT Sunday for AMZ630.

Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM EDT Sunday for AMZ650-651-670- 671.

GM...None.