TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE TONIGHT PLUS WARMING WINDS

Happy Thursday, South Florida!

Hopefully everyone has had a great week so far and has been enjoying this beautiful weather that we have had. Earlier in the week, a broken line of showers came through the area ahead of a front that cleared us Monday evening and brought cooler weather the following two mornings. Each afternoon has been very comfortable with temperatures in the upper 70s and near 80°. And even though this morning temperatures across South Florida were not as cool for everyone, some inland areas of Miami-Dade and Broward started the day off in the 50s while most enjoyed pleasant temperatures in the 60s.  Oddly enough, there were a few areas in the Florida Keys that started off in the 70s due to an East wind across the island chain.

Today South Florida can expect another beautiful day with plenty of sunshine and low humidity. As our wind pattern veers off the water, a few fair weather clouds will be possible from time to time. A spotty shower can’t be ruled out early evening, however, most of South Florida will remain dry and mostly sunny.  Mild temperatures in the lower 80s will return to the forecast but it won’t feel uncomfortably warm. It should still feel quite nice. Something worth mentioning since there are many visitors from out of town – now that our wind pattern will be veering off the water and likely picking up speed through the next 24 hours, the risk of rip currents will be elevated across all area beaches so please always swim near a lifeguard.

Another fun fact worth mentioning is that tonight the March full moon will peak at 2:54am. Normally March’s full moon is called the Worm Moon but this year it is extra special because it will arrive with a total lunar eclipse! This changes the name to the Worm “Blood” Moon. Here’s how it all works. The Sun, Moon & Earth will be aligned tonight and when they align, the Earth will cast a red shadow on the moon (also known as the umbra). This is where the “blood” part of the name comes in. We here in North America will be able to see its totality (which will peak at 2:55am) and we don’t need protective eyewear to see it, however, it is important to note that light pollution may take away from the viewing pleasure. It is best to see it far from city lights.

Looking ahead, there will be changes in the forecast through the next few days. South Florida will gradually warm through the second half of the work week as the wind direction begins to change across the area. A southeast wind today will bring back milder temperatures while more of a South to Southeast wind on Friday will bring our afternoon high temperature a few degrees warmer. Friday should still be relatively comfortable but there could be enough moisture in the air for perhaps a stray shower. Most will be dry. The weekend is what brings the most changes our way as our wind speeds will be increasing significantly and our wind direction will be out of the south. Overnight lows will now be in the 70s through the weekend, which is well above average, while our afternoon high temperatures reach into the mid to upper 80s. Humidity levels will slowly begin to climb throughout the weekend as well. As we saw last weekend, relief is just around the corner as a front is forecast to reach South Florida on Monday. And even though it may produce a few showers, it will also bring brief relief from this weekend’s late winter warmth come Tuesday morning.

Have a wonderful afternoon!

Erika Delgado
Meteorologist
WSVN / Channel 7 News