Big storms to rattle, drench Florida into Wednesday evening
A fierce thunderstorm in Abilene, Texas, sparked a massive lightning strike on June, 18. The lightning branched across the sky before connecting with the ground in a stunning display of atmospheric fireworks.
Storms that erupt over the Florida Peninsula into Wednesday evening may pack a wallop in terms of rainfall and gusty winds.
"While June is typically a wet month and part of the rainy season in Florida, the weather pattern into Wednesday evening can be a bit more feisty than average," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Smerbeck.
"The greatest threat from the storms will be frequent lightning strikes, but flooding downpours and strong wind gusts can clobber some communities," Smerbeck said.
In a few cases, the strongest storms may produce a brief spin-up tornado or waterspout.
The storms will progress southward and eastward over much of the Peninsula and Atlantic coastal waters into the evening hours.
Cities at risk for some strong storms include Orlando, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Vero Beach and West Palm Beach.
People spending time outdoors on the beach, at the golf course or at theme parks should keep an eye out for rapidly changing weather conditions. Storms with lightning can develop in a matter of minutes and in some cases form right over head.
Seek shelter indoors or in a hard-topped vehicle at the first rumble of thunder.
Never attempt to drive through flooded areas. The water may be deeper than it appears and/or the road surface may have been washed away beneath the water. A foot of water is enough to cause some vehicles to stall, drift and short out the electrical system.
Part of the same weather pattern will bring some needed rainfall farther north across Florida and much of the Southeast as well.
Conditions in these areas range from abnormally dry to moderate drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor.
However, as is often the case with thunderstorms, too much rain may fall too fast and result in urban flooding, while the more robust storms may produce isolated damaging winds.
"On Thursday, much of the Florida Peninsula should have a more quiet day," Smerbeck said.
There can still be spotty pop-up storms on Thursday over northern and central Florida, while the balance of the Southeast region can expect an active day with downpours and locally severe storms.
Download the free AccuWeather app for your local forecast, including severe weather watches and warnings. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
