Florida State Watch Office Morning Situation Report for Friday, May 22, 2026
Florida Division of Emergency Management sent this bulletin at 05/22/2026 09:55 AM EDT
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Florida State Watch Office Morning Situation Report
EOC Activation Level: Level 2
EOC Activation Level: Level 2
Meteorological Summary:
- Areas of patchy fog has developed over the Western Panhandle this morning but will quickly dissipate over the next 1-2 hours as the sun rises.
- High pressure over the Atlantic has continued its eastward march over the open Atlantic, now veering our surface flow to primarily out of the southeast today.
- For the peninsula, a largely rinse-and-repeat distribution of rain chances is expected today, with the highest chances once again in extreme Southwest Florida (30-50%) along . Additionally, high (70-90%) chances for rain are expected in the far Western Panhandle today as a series of upper-level disturbances are expected to swing through the region and provide a source of enhanced lift.
- While there is no organized risk of severe weather with any of today’s activity could become locally strong and capable of producing frequent lightning, gusty winds (30-50 mph), and locally heavy downpours.
- Rainfall amounts will generally remain below 1”, though localized areas could see upwards of 2-3”, especially in the Western Panhandle if any corridors of training storms develop.
- The Weather Prediction Center has outlined a Marginal Risk for excessive rainfall for extreme western Escambia County today.
- Wildfire danger will remain low today given relative humidities above critical thresholds, though breezy winds gusting upwards of 20 mph are expected throughout the Eastern Peninsula and Western Panhandle.
- Any thunderstorms that develop may be accompanied by lightning and gusty/erratic winds that can spark new wildfires or reignite existing ones.
- High temperatures will climb into the upper 80s to middle 90s statewide, with afternoon feels-like temperatures approaching the upper 90s across North-Central and Western Florida. Some localized areas may see feels-like temperatures that reach or exceed 100-degrees this afternoon.
- Tonight, any lingering shower or storm activity over the peninsula will shortly dissipate after sunset. Rounds of scattered showers and storms may continue overnight for the Western Panhandle as upper-level disturbances continue to swing through the region.
- Some patchy fog may develop throughout the Western Florida Panhandle tonight given the abundant low-level moisture, although this will likely be highly dependent on how today and tonight’s showers and thunderstorms develop/evolve.
- Lows will fall into the lower to middle 70s for much of the state, with upper 70s to lower 80s across the Southeast Metro and Keys.
- A moderate to high risk of rip currents is expected for East Coast and Panhandle beaches.
- According to the Florida Forest Service, there are 74 active wildfires across the state burning approximately 18,571 acres.
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