Hail in Florida, March 29, 2001

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
130 PM EST THU MAR 29 2001

THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA MAY FEEL LIKE THE
BEGINNING OF THE RAINY SEASON WITH WARM TEMPERATURES... HIGH
HUMIDITIES AND A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER... THE
LARGE CONVECTIVE AREA MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL FLORIDA AT MID
AFTERNOON TODAY IS ALREADY SHOWING SIGNS OF SPREADING OUT AND
SLOWING DOWN AS IT BUCKS UP AGAINST THE RIDGE TO THE SOUTH...
SO IT PROBABLY WILL NOT MAKE IT TO SOUTH FLORIDA AS AN ORGANIZED
AREA OF CONVECTION. BUT WITH SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH FLOW AT THE
SURFACE AND SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WE FEEL THERE IS A THREAT OF MAINLY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE HIGHER POPS
OVER THE NORTHERN SECTIONS. AS THE LOW-LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW WEAKENS
FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY... THE CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION
WILL BEGIN TO EVEN OUT ACROSS THE AREA WITH SLOWER NORTHEASTWARD
CELL MOVEMENT ANTICIPATED AS STEERING FLOW WEAKENS.

MODELS MOVE A WEAK COLD FRONT ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA SUNDAY NIGHT...
WITH SLIGHTLY DRIER AND COOLER WEATHER EXPECTED FOR THE FIRST PART
OF NEXT WEEK.

FOR THE MARINE AREA SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN TONIGHT
THROUGH SATURDAY AND BECOME MORE SOUTHWESTERLY AHEAD OF THE WEAK
COLD FRONT SUNDAY NIGHT. POST FRONTAL WINDS MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
WILL BE MOSTLY LIGHT WITH STRONGER EASTERLIES DEVELOPING BY
WEDNESDAY.

NO HIGHLIGHTS FOR FIRE-WEATHER.

PBI BB 070/085 070/085 070 465433
MIA BB 072/086 072/086 072 464433

.MIA...SCA ALL WATERS INCLUDING LAKE OBE.

AMZ610-650-FLZ063-066>070-GMZ656-676-300115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
620 PM EST THU MAR 29 2001

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR
PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO RACE EAST NORTHEAST AT 20 TO
25 MPH OVER GLADES AND EXTREME NORTHWESTERN PALM BEACH COUNTIES
INCLUDING LAKE OKEECHOBEE. SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN STRONG WITH
GUSTS TO 40 MPH EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON OVER LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND A
FUNNEL CLOUD THAT WAS SPOTTED JUST WEST OF PORT MAYACA AND BRIEFLY
TOUCHED DOWN AS A WATERSPOUT AND THEN DISSIPATED. ADDITIONAL STORMS
ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS THE SAME AREA THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS. A FEW OF THESE COULD BECOME SEVERE. THE WATCH ALSO
CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR COLLIER AND HENDRY COUNTIES. ALTHOUGH
CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO THUNDERSTORMS OVER THIS AREA...A LINE OF
STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS RACING EAST ACROSS THE
GULF OF MEXICO AND WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA LATER THIS
EVENING.