Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Key West, FL
Issued by NWS Key West, FL
319 FXUS62 KKEY 301445 AFDKEY Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Key West FL 1045 AM EDT Tue Apr 30 2024 ...New DISCUSSION, MARINE, AVIATION... .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1045 AM EDT Tue Apr 30 2024 It has been one of the more "active" mornings that we have seen in April in terms of shower activity and coverage. KBYX is detecting a swath of showers in the nearshore waters adjacent to the island chain. Earlier, a shower pulsed up into a brief thunderstorm and produced at least one CG lightning strike. This is interesting because this morning`s sounding sampled an inversion around 700 mb, which is below the freezing level. This thunderstorm developed north of Marathon, so the atmospheric profile likely differed slightly to allow for this convective development. Most of the island chain received some measurable rainfall over the course of the morning. Island communities in the Saddlebunch Keys through Lower Sugarloaf were the winners in terms of rainfall, receiving over an inch of rainfall in some locations. Through the afternoon, rainfall will wax and wane, but any additional thunderstorm development in the forecast area seems unlikely. Winds will gradually decrease as high pressure in the western North Atlantic begins to weaken through the afternoon. Rain chances were increased in an early morning update due to more widespread coverage than expected, otherwise no changes to the forecast were necessary. && .MARINE... Issued at 1045 AM EDT Tue Apr 30 2024 There are no watches, warnings, or advisories in effect for the Florida Keys coastal waters. From synopsis, high pressure centered southwest of Bermuda will continue to meander in the western North Atlantic through mid- week. With the high slowly weakening, east to southeast breezes will slacken, becoming gentle to moderate. As the high refortifies in the west North Atlantic late in the week and into the weekend, an extended period of generally moderate easterly breezes is expected. Breezes for this period will tend to peak in the evening and overnight hours, then lull during the daytime. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 1045 AM EDT Tue Apr 30 2024 VFR conditions will prevail at both EYW and MTH through the TAF period. Brief reduction to MVFR CIGS and VIS are possible within passing showers through this evening. Near surface winds will continue to be east to southeast at near 10 knots. && .CLIMATE... In 1959, Key West experienced its driest April and driest month ever with no rain recorded. This is the only calendar month on record in Key West in which no rain fell. Rainfall records in Key West date back to 1871. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Key West 84 75 84 75 / 30 20 10 10 Marathon 84 75 84 75 / 30 20 10 10 && .KEY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GM...None. && $$ Public/Marine/Fire...NB Aviation/Nowcasts....AP Data Acquisition.....NB Visit us on the web at weather.gov/key Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at: www.facebook.com/nwskeywest www.twitter.com/nwskeywest