Weather: Afternoon storms forming Saturday; rip current risk high

ADVISORIES

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY: The National Weather Service has issued a significant weather advisory for western Indian River and northern Okeechobee counties until 5:15 p.m.

At 4:34 p.m., Doppler Radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10 miles west of Blue Cypress Lake moving south at 10 mph.

Dime-size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm and may lead to localized flooding.

Areas that could be impacted include Blue Cypress Lake, Fort Drum and Kissimmee Prairie Preserve.

A rip current statement is in effect until 8 p.m. today because of swells from Tropical Storm Karl.

TODAY’S FORECAST

It will be partly sunny, with a high near 88 and east-northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. There's a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms will develop in the early to mid afternoon and increase in coverage, becoming scattered during the late afternoon and early evening. Storm motion will be west to east at 5 to 10 mph.

The main storm hazard will be frequent lightning strikes. A few strong storms could produce 2- to 3-inch downpours in less than an hour, which would result in ponding on roadways.

Tonight, there's a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m. It will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 72 and an east-southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

See our weather radar for the latest conditions.

Sunrise was at 7:11 a.m. Sunset will be at 7:15 p.m.

EXTENDED FORECAST

Source: National Weather Service

Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Light and variable wind becoming east 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. East-southeast wind around 5 mph becoming south-southwest after midnight.

Tuesday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South-southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

TROPICS

Source: National Hurricane Center

Atlantic:

Tropical Storm Karl, at 11 a.m., was centered about 125 miles east-northeast of Bermuda as it moved northeast at 18 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 65 mph. Karl is expected to reach hurricane intensity Sunday and remain at hurricane strength when it becomes a post-tropical cyclone Sunday night. Karl is forecast to be absorbed by an extratropical cyclone early Monday.

Tropical Storm Lisa, at 11 a.m., was centered about 1,130 miles northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands as it moved northwest at 10 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 40 mph. Lisa is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone by this evening.

A tropical wave, at 8 a.m., was south of the Cabo Verde Islands as it moved westward at 20 to 25 mph. A tropical depression could form while the system approaches the Lesser Antilles and moves into the Caribbean Sea by the middle of next week. The formation chance through five days is 50 percent.

TODAY’S TIDE FORECAST

Source: National Weather Service

Sebastian Inlet Bridge

• High tides: 2:42 a.m. and 3:29 p.m.    
• Low tides: 9:09 a.m. and 9:46 p.m.

Fort Pierce Inlet, South Jetty

• High tides: 2:59 a.m. and 3:46 p.m.    
• Low tides: 9:15 a.m. and 9:52 p.m.

MARINE FORECAST

Source: National Weather Service

There's a slight chance for wind gusts 30 to 35 knots again today with storms forming over land and pushing across the coast, especially from Cape Canaveral to the Treasure Coast.

A weak pressure gradient over the coastal waters will maintain light to gentle winds, while an offshore steering flow pushes some of the late afternoon and evening thunderstorms offshore of the east coast into the nearshore Atlantic waters. Long period swells from distant Tropical Storm Karl will slowly build through this weekend.

Today: Northwest winds 5 knots becoming east 5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet with a dominant period 11 seconds. A light chop on the intracoastal waters. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Tonight: Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west 5 knots after midnight. Seas 3 to 4 feet with a dominant period 11 seconds. Mostly smooth on the intracoastal waters. Chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Chance of showers. Slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight.

Sunday: Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 feet with a dominant period 10 seconds. A light chop on the intracoastal waters. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Sunday Night: Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 3 to 4 feet. Mostly smooth on the intracoastal waters. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.