214 FXUS62 KMLB 301126 AFDMLBArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Melbourne FL 726 AM EDT Tue Sep 30 2025
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 226 AM EDT Tue Sep 30 2025
- Prolonged, dangerous beach and marine conditions this week; life-threatening rip currents, high surf with breaking waves of 6 to 10 feet, and minor to moderate beach erosion expected
- Breezy and gusty conditions through much of the week, with the highest gusts along the coast
- Periods of scattered showers into Wednesday; higher rain chances and the threat for locally heavy rainfall return late week into the weekend
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 226 AM EDT Tue Sep 30 2025
Today-Tonight...Prior to sunrise, Tropical Storm Imelda is located offshore of the east coast of Florida, with gusty bands of showers locally enhancing winds as they move onshore. However, winds have fallen below Wind Advisory criteria overall, so the Advisory has been cancelled just prior to 2 AM.
Imelda will move eastward, away from the local area, today and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane. Meanwhile, outer bands of gusty showers are expected to continue to push onshore, with the highest PoPs today (40-60%) along the coast, but especially from around Cape Canaveral northward. Inland, PoPs are forecast around 20- 40%, as showers are expected to weaken as they move into the interior. Overall accumulations should remain light, though totals near 1" will be possible in any training heavier showers. Very dry air above 600 mb and low CAPE will limit lightning chances (~20%) to the coast, with a slightly more favorable environment over the Atlantic waters. Rain chances are forecast to be limited to generally the coastal counties overnight, as Imelda continues into the Atlantic. PoPs 20-30% decreasing from the evening into the early morning hours. Showers and northerly winds are forecast to keep temperatures in the 80s this afternoon, with lows in the lower to mid-70s.
Despite Imelda`s departure, breezy to windy conditions will persist across the local area into this afternoon. Northerly winds of 10-20 mph are forecast, with up to 20-25 mph along the coast. The barrier islands from near Cape Canaveral northward into the Volusia County could approach sustained winds of 25 mph today. These winds are borderline Wind Advisory criteria. However, have held off on a Wind Advisory, as models suggest the spatial extent of the highest winds will be limited to the immediate barrier islands themselves, rather than the whole coastal zone. Also, winds have underperformed somewhat over the last day or so, 925 mb winds are forecast to remain around 25 kts, and lingering cloud cover should help limit mixing. That being said, should the cloud cover be less than currently forecast, stronger winds near 25 mph would be more likely to mix down. Regardless, it looks to be another windy day along the coast, with dangerous beach conditions due to a high risk of rip currents and large breaking waves of 6-10 ft. A High Surf Advisory remains in effect through the work week. Use caution, even on the sand, never turn your back to the ocean, as larger waves can sweep you off your feet. Do not enter the water.
Wednesday...A transition day for the middle of the work week, as Imelda picks up speed towards Bermuda and a strong ridge begins to build southward into the Great Lakes and Northeast from Canada. While models previously suggested some fairly dry air would filter into the area mid-week, PWATs now look to return to around 1.6-1.8" by Wednesday afternoon, as winds veer northeasterly. Thus, while PoPs will be generally below normal for much of the area, PoPs up to 40-50% are still forecast south and east of I-4, with 20-30% elsewhere, supported by an upper level trough passing aloft. Poor lapse rates and dry air above 700mb will continue to limit lightning chances, though a few strikes cannot be ruled out. Northeast winds are forecast to reduce to around 10-15 mph, but remain gusty, especially along the coast, as highs persist in the 80s.
Overnight, building high pressure to the north will veer winds easterly, advecting in moist air (PWATs around 2") by late Wednesday night. Therefore, shower chances will continue through the overnight hours, with PoPs 40-50% for coastal counties and 20-30% over the interior.
Thursday-Monday...High pressure settles in north of the local area through late week, then moves offshore late this weekend and into early next week. Meanwhile, a series of shortwaves look to pass through the Southeast US in the mid and upper levels. A tight pressure gradient due to the ridge to the north will once again produce breezy to gusty onshore flow. Easterly winds around 15-20 mph are forecast, with higher gusts along the coast in the afternoons, each day into at least Saturday. Combined with showers, these winds will help keep temperatures near to even slightly below normal.
Models are in good agreement that higher coverage of showers returns Thursday over southern portions of the area. Then, spreads area- wide into the weekend, as deeper moisture (PWATs 2+" at times) advects into east central Florida. PoPs 40-70% from northwest to southeast Thursday become 60-70% across the forecast area by Saturday. Poor lapse rates look to continue to limit the lightning threat, though isolated to scattered strikes will remain possible. Multiple rounds of showers, pushed onshore along breezy easterly winds, will be capable of locally heavy rainfall, thanks to ample available moisture. The threat for excessive rainfall will be increased in any training showers, especially along the coast in places that see multiple rounds over several days. This will need to be monitored late week into the weekend.
Dangerous beach conditions are forecast to continue through at least late week, if not into the weekend, due to continued breezy and gusty winds, as well as incoming swells from distant Major Hurricane Humberto.
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.MARINE... Issued at 226 AM EDT Tue Sep 30 2025
Hazardous to dangerous boating conditions today will persist through late week and into the weekend, even as Tropical Storm Imelda moves away from the local waters. Northerly winds up to 20-25 kts will persist over the Atlantic through this afternoon. Then, high pressure building well north of the local area will maintain a tight enough pressure gradient for winds to persist around 15-25 kts as they veer onshore through at least Saturday. Seas 10-17 ft today will also be slow to subside, due to the continued gusty winds and incoming swell from distant Major Hurricane Humberto. Seas are forecast to remain up to 8-10 ft into this weekend. Small Craft Advisories are in effect and will likely need to be extended past the current expiration time.
Gusty bands of showers, with a few embedded lightning strikes, will continue to move onshore into tonight, as Imelda moves farther into the Atlantic. Scattered showers will be possible Wednesday, before coverage increases late week into the weekend.
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.AVIATION... (12Z TAFs) Issued at 725 AM EDT Tue Sep 30 2025
MVFR to occasional IFR CIGs across most terminals this morning, along with gusty northwest winds. Anticipate CIGs slowly improving beyond 15z, with increasing winds to 20 knots and gusts to 30 knots possible. Ongoing VCSH through most of today due to outer rain bands from Imelda, with activity diminishing beyond 03Z across the interior terminals and 10Z along the coast. A return to northerly winds is anticipated overnight, with winds becoming lighter at 5 to 10 knots.
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.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DAB 83 73 84 73 / 60 30 30 40 MCO 87 73 88 73 / 40 10 30 30 MLB 87 74 86 75 / 50 30 40 50 VRB 88 74 87 74 / 40 30 50 50 LEE 86 71 87 71 / 30 10 20 20 SFB 85 72 86 73 / 50 20 30 30 ORL 86 73 87 73 / 40 20 30 30 FPR 88 73 87 74 / 40 30 50 50
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.MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...High Surf Advisory until 4 AM EDT Saturday for FLZ141-154-159- 164-347-447-647-747.
AM...Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM EDT Saturday for AMZ550-552-555- 570-572-575.
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DISCUSSION...Leahy AVIATION...Tollefsen
NWS MLB Office Area Forecast Discussion