It’s a picture-perfect Sunday across Florida — sunny skies, warm temperatures, and even the beaches are feeling amazing! But if you’re planning to soak up the sun, do it today because changes are coming soon.
Rain is on the way early Monday morning, moving in from the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the wet weather will head toward southern Florida, but our Suncoast area will catch the northern edge of the storm. That means the farther south you go, the heavier the rain. This could be our last decent chance for any real rainfall in what’s been an unusually dry February.
There’s some good news when it comes to red tide. Conditions have improved since last weekend, and there haven’t been any reports of respiratory irritation at popular beaches like Siesta Key and Lido Key. That said, you might still see some dead fish washing up along the shoreline. Scientists at the University of South Florida’s Ocean Circulation Lab are seeing only low to very low concentrations of red tide in our area.
If you’re not familiar, red tide is caused by a type of algae called Karenia Brevis. It’s always floating around in the Gulf in small amounts, but when it blooms, it releases a toxin that kills fish and can become airborne. That’s what causes the coughing and respiratory issues some beachgoers experience.
After Monday’s rain, the rest of the week looks calm and clear. A dry cold front will sweep through on Friday, bringing cooler air and dropping high temps back near 70° — a refreshing end to the month!
