Tropical Wave Closes In On Florida

August 22, 2007

MELBOURNE, FL (FLORIDA-TODAY) — A tropical wave approaching Florida is expected to increase Brevard County rain chances on Thursday, forecasters said today.

The area of disorganized cloudiness and thunderstorms extends from Cuba northeastward across the central Bahamas and into the Atlantic for several hundred miles.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami do not expect the system to become a tropical storm.

"This system is moving westward at 15 to 20 mph and upper-level winds are not favorable for significant development," forecasters said in a statement today.

However, the system is expected to bring much-needed rain to Central Florida. The National Weather Service in Melbourne is predicting a 40 percent to 50 percent chance of rain for Brevard County starting Thursday and extending through the weekend.

"The rain will be hit and miss in this area," said Larry Mowry, meteorologist for FLORIDA TODAY news partner WKMG Local 6 News. "South Florida will receive most of the rain."

He said a low pressure system is trying to form on the southern side of the wave, which could lead to a tropical storm.

"However, upper-level winds are not favorable for development," Mowry said.

Brevard County will start seeing some showers from the system this evening with more rain into the Thursday morning hours.

Melbourne is 2 1/2 inches below normal in rainfall for the month. Only 0.98 inch has fallen at Melbourne International Airport during August.

Orlando has gone 19 consecutive days without measurable rainfall. Melbourne has had only three days of rain during the month - Aug. 1, 2, and 18.