Isolated tornado chance, storms, flood watch. Here’s when Miami’s severe weather stops

Howard Cohen
·2 min read

Multiple weather hazards linger from Friday’s severe weather that thrust a pause button on DJs spinning at downtown Miami’s Ultra Music Festival, halted Miami-Dade’s Youth Fair near FIU for the day and led to the cancellation of a session at the 2024 Miami Open inside Hard Rock Stadium.

As thunder, lightning and more rain pounded parts of South Florida Saturday morning, the National Weather Service in Miami issued advisories.

▪ The strongest part of the system has passed, forecasters said early Saturday, but the batch of showers and storms hitting Kendall, which received a flood advisory through 10:30 a.m., means more localized flooding, especially in poor drainage areas.

▪ Isolated tornado threat remains for a part of Saturday with frequent lightning, heavy rain and gusty winds, the weather service said.

▪ Flood watch remains in effect for Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and Collier counties through Saturday evening. The Keys’ flood watch is until 5 p.m. Saturday with severe thunderstorms forecast at 80%.

▪ Wind advisory in effect until 8 p.m. Saturday from Miami-Dade to Palm Beach counties. Gusts on Saturday in the 30-40 mph range likely, with stronger gusts rushing through up to a severe 60 mph.

▪ Elevated rip current risk at all South Florida beaches through the weekend, into the beginning of the work week. But you certainly weren’t planning on still swimming Saturday morning, were you?

Cars head west under heavy rain on the Palmetto Expressway in North Miami as a severe weather alert was issued by the National Weather Service for more rainfall and potential flooding that began around 8 a.m. Friday morning, March 22, 2024, and is expected to continue into Saturday. Also the first two days of the three-day 2024 Ultra Music Festival in downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park.

Miami Open status

The Miami Open tennis tournament held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens delayed the first match from 11 a.m. Saturday to noon and opened gates later than scheduled due to rain.

Organizers are posting updates on the Miami Open website and on social media.

When the storms will stop

A man crosses 163rd Street in North Miami under heavy rain as a severe weather alert was issued by the National Weather Service on March 22, 2024.
A man crosses 163rd Street in North Miami under heavy rain as a severe weather alert was issued by the National Weather Service on March 22, 2024.

The severe weather should stop quickly after the late afternoon and into the evening in South Florida and the Keys.

Rain chances drop to 10% Saturday night and clear skies will last through the week, with highs in the 80s and lows in the low-70s.

Tennis fans took cover at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on March 22, 2024. The Miami Open faced delays and play stoppage Friday due to severe weather, which was lingering into Saturday. The storms should clear by Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.
Tennis fans took cover at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on March 22, 2024. The Miami Open faced delays and play stoppage Friday due to severe weather, which was lingering into Saturday. The storms should clear by Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.