Storms/Shower Risk Today Up and Down the Peninsula - Even the Beaches (?)

Over the Banana River on this date, 2014

TODAY: Same general synoptic situation is at play but with a slight change in the theme as the old one likely played itself out yesterday with the very early onset across SW Florida associated with colder air aloft - that as a 'renegade' upper low had retrograded from the Carolina's the other day toward North Florida and continues west and out of the picture.

New scene today as temps aloft are just a bit warmer  with the low having moved further from the state -   upper level triggers (vorticity) associated with it are likely more removed from the immediate area (as per model guidance).

Otherwise, Cape sounding showed a convective temperature there of 90F which is up a bit from yesterday, and warmer by about 2 degrees at both the 700mb and 500mb levels. Steering is from the southwest but not so strong as to prevent the east coast sea breeze from forming.  

There  is activity up and down the west coast however encroaching on to the beaches in some locations. Chances are if these storms can collapse and send outflows eastward coincident with the west coast sea breeze, that boundary could make good headway toward the east side of the state while the east coast sea breeze makes much slower progress. 

There is some 'cloud cover' across a portion of southeast Florida which 'might' put a crimp in the storm style down there (if any is to be found at all, 'see below') apart from a merger of the Lake Okeechobee/Sea breeze. That area looks like it might escape the storms today, unless the clouds thin out a bit (hard to say for certain).

Otherwise, apart from other questionable potentials ...the 'better bet' (per the blogger only) for mid-late day storms appears to be along I-10 then south along and west of I95 as depicted below.. also activity could 'pop' as the east coast sea breeze forms but suspect it would be rather isolated, at least compared to yesterday's standards.

The region over South Florida (south of Lake Okeechobee) will likely need to wait for the sea breeze collisions later in the day as well; the Miami sounding had a precipitable water value of around 1.72"   (but the moisture was more evenly distributed up and down the column) - and as such, it appears for now a bit iffy for storms down there; on the other-hand, it is thought this area might moisten up a bit later in the day with the peak of activity closer toward the west side.

Overall, suspect the 'better concentration' of storms with at a minimum 'anvil debris rains' at the immediate coast even will be portions of Central (East Central to eastern portions of North Central)..then along a southwest line from near Yeehaw Junction toward Ft Myers.

SUNDAY: Expect less concentration of storm coverage at this time, though upper level winds do not change, moisture availability might. The GFS showed a similar set up as today with a few variations which would be par for the course of things running along in 2-3 day 'cycles' or themes' as the larger scale synoptic scale situation across the country undergoes some subtle changes.

BEYOND: Little variation in the 'winds at the surface and aloft' forecast, with more sensible (observable) changes occurring in regard to where moisture will be ample enough. Guidance is providing varying forecasts regarding this particular variable , making an extended outlook sketchy at best.  However, there is consensus that some definite 'rather dry slots' will impede or pollute parts of Central Florida at times in the upcoming week as well as South Florida; North Florida seems to be the location where a steady increase of moisture is expected into mid and late week. 

Expect there will be days that shower/storm coverage will be significantly hampered in particular regions/areas of the state more so than others, but exactly where cannot be pre-determined at this time. The GFS shows little change, overall (as just described) into the end of the month (for the time being at least)

July 22, 2014 over the Banana River as Viewed from Cape Canaveral