Subtropical Storm Alberto came ashore Monday afternoon in the Florida Panhandle near Laguna Beach, just west of Panama City Beach. The remnant circulation from the system will move through Alabama today, but plenty of tropical moisture remains across Florida this week. This will enhance the typical sea breeze showers and thunderstorms, leading to heavier rainfall rates at times and longer-lasting episodes of thunderstorms in the coming days.
Tuesday's most widespread and heaviest rain will fall across portions of north and northeast Florida. Although Subtropical Depression Alberto is moving farther away to the north, heavy rain bands will trail the system from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, which includes a large portion of the panhandle. Locally heavy rain is expected at times throughout the day near cities such as Pensacola, Panama City and Tallahassee.
Further east and south, sea breeze thunderstorms will be enhanced by Alberto's leftover moisture across northeast, north-central and central Florida Tuesday afternoon and evening. A strong Gulf sea breeze is expected to move inland and merge with the Atlantic sea breeze. Strong thunderstorms will locally heavy rain and wind gusts will develop this afternoon from Orlando to Jacksonville, then move northeast from the First Coast to the Space Coast.
In South Florida, deep tropical moisture will lead to showers and storms with locally heavy rain and lightning. A few waterspouts are possible today in Biscayne Bay and along the Atlantic beaches.
On Wednesday, the activity will be primarily focused across inland areas of the Florida peninsula, as the deep tropical flow provides addition moisture for sea breeze activity during the afternoon hours. Storms will develop on the Gulf side before moving in a northeasterly direction towards the Atlantic coast. An upper-level disturbance will enhance the thunderstorms across north and central Florida , and a few of the storms could be strong. A more normal rainfall pattern will resume across South Florida on Wednesday. Rain chances also return to normal in the panhandle, as Alberto's remnant moisture moves even farther to the north and east and only spotty afternoon showers are expected.
By Thursday and Friday, drier air will begin to move into South Florida, effectively shutting down the afternoon thunderstorms for a few days, especially along the coast. Further north, showers and thunderstorm chances will still be slightly above normal, but they will not be as widespread or as strong as the activity early in the week.
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