What can you expect for Memorial Day weekend? That change in the weather’s not a party

Did you pack an umbrella with your bathing suits for Memorial Day weekend in South Beach and Fort Lauderdale?

You’ll likely need it.

“It looks like we have an increasing chance of showers and storms on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” said George Rizzuto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.

“So it doesn’t look like the greatest weekend for Memorial Day,” he said.

As of Wednesday morning’s forecast, the best chance for showers and possible thunderstorms is Saturday afternoon into Sunday, Rizzuto said.

Not the most pleasant weekend

“And again on Monday, as well, we have similar chances of showers around 50 to 60% at the moment. So in terms of what we’re seeing now, we’re gonna get a lot wetter. It doesn’t look like the most pleasant weekend at the moment.”

The Florida Keys, including Key West, is looking at a 40% rain and storm chance Saturday night through Sunday, increasing to 50% on Memorial Day.

For those with an eye on Disney, Universal or other attractions in the Orlando area for Memorial Day, Friday will see a front stalling in Central Florida, pushing rain chances to 70%. The weekend, into Memorial Day, faces a 50% chance, with highs in the 90s when not under storm clouds.

The top of the week dried out in South Florida and the weekend Saharan dust has dissipated locally.

Why the weather’s turning

So what’s the culprit for a potentially wet Memorial Day?

Rizzuto said that there’s a strong, low-pressure system moving through the central states and it’s progressing eastward.

“Right now South Florida is dominated by high pressure but as that low-pressure system moves over the eastern U.S. we’ll see more unsettled weather over us,” Rizzuto said.

Rip current alert

On Wednesday, the weather service also posted a high risk alert for rip currents along east coast beaches, including in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. The high risk will likely linger into the first half of the weekend and remain at least a moderate risk on Monday’s Memorial Day due to easterly winds, Rizzuto said.

Temperatures will be in the upper 80s in South Florida. Currently, there are no heat advisories, but it’s always prudent to stay hydrated when outside.

The National Hurricane Center has no systems in the Atlantic to monitor as of Wednesday and nothing is expected in the next two days.