Florida
Will it rain on Thanksgiving in Florida? System soaks eastern U.S., causes flight delays
Will the weather cooperate for your Thanksgiving plans?
If you’re wondering what kind of weather to expect on Thanksgiving Day, AccuWeather’s Ariella Scalese has the forecast for you.
The Thanksgiving Day forecast for Florida is looking dryer and dryer as a massive low-pressure system drenching the eastern U.S. heads toward the coast. Great news for Floridians staying put, bad news for anyone traveling to or from those regions before the holiday.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms from the system currently stretch from the Gulf Coast up through the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys, into the Midwest and the southern part of the Great Lakes, according to the National Weather Service.
“Thunderstorms are expected to be most intense early today across the lower Mississippi Valley with severe weather excepted before cooler and drier air arrives behind a dynamic cold front,” NWS forecasters Kwan-Yin Kong and Robert Oravec said.
Snow is expected in parts of northern Pennsylvania and upstate New York to central and northern New England through Tuesday night, AccuWeather forecasters said. “From 3 to 6 inches of snow is forecast to fall on the Adirondacks and Green Mountains, while from 6 to 12 inches is forecast to pile up from central New Hampshire to much of northwestern Maine,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
Some strong thunderstorms are expected to head into the South and interior Southeast Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with severe weather and possible tornadoes across portions of southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle on Tuesday, the weather service said.
So far there have been 11,202 flight delays as of Tuesday afternoon, FlightAware’s live statistics said, with 629 total cancellations. In a recent ranking, three of the five worst airports to fly out of for the holiday are in Florida.
However, by Thanksgiving the system should have moved off the east coast, leaving dry, clear weather behind. Most of Florida will see none of this, the NWS predicts, with rain possible in the Panhandle, parts of North Florida and the southern tip of the peninsula but clear skies everywhere else in the state.
More than 55 million will be traveling for Thanksgiving weekend
National auto club AAA predicts that more than 3 million Floridians will travel 50 miles or more during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, out of more than 55.3 million Americans nationwide. That’s the third-highest nationwide travel numbers over Thanksgiving since 2000 and nearly 1.3 million more than last year.
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Will it rain on Thanksgiving in Florida?
Depending on where you are, maybe, at least that evening while you’re digesting your holiday.
In the Panhandle, as of Tuesday, there’s a 90% chance of rain Tuesday and a 60% chance later inn the evening, a 20% chance early Wednesday, and then a 30% chance of showers on Thursday night, according to the NWS.
Tallahassee might see some rain Thursday night (20% chance) but it can expect a wet couple of days first. There’s a 40% chance of thunderstorms Tuesday, the NWS said, with a 90% chance of showers in the evening. Wednesday is expected to start off rainy and taper off throughout the day. By Tuesday night into Wednesday the rains may hit the Jacksonville area, but Thursday the day is forecast to be partly sunny with a 20% chance of showers in the evening.
Central Florida is looking at a 40% chance of showers Wednesday but a partly sunny Thanksgiving, forecasters said.
Southwest Florida will see partly sunny days and partly cloudy nights all week but there’s no rain expected until possibly Friday. Southeast Florida might see some rain Wednesday night (30% chance) but you’ll have a partly sunny Thanksgiving to look forward to, the NWS said.
South Florida is the only area in the state where rain is forecast during the day on Thanksgiving (20%).
There’s a low chance of rain for areas in the Florida Keys from Thursday into the weekend, however.
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Will it be hot or cold on Thanksgiving in Florida?
Not quite wintry weather yet, but the cold front accompanying the low-pressure area sweeping across the country will bring temperatures in the Panhandle down to the high 40s overnight Wednesday night and into the low 60s on Thanksgiving as of the Tuesday forecasts from the NWS.
North Florida can expect temps in the low-to-mid 60s Thursday and Friday, with overnight lows in the 40s.
Central Florida will be running a bit warmer, with temperatures in the high 70s until a Wednesday overnight drop to the high 60s, the NWS said.
The cold front still might affect Southwest Florida, but only enough to bring the Thursday temps down to just 76 degrees with overnight lows before and after in the low 60s.
Southeast Florida will dip down into the low 70s for Thanksgiving, with overnight lows in the low 60s.
And South Florida should see a low-80s Thanksgiving, with overnights in the low 70s.
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What does the Farmers’ Almanac predict for Thanksgiving weather in Florida?
According to the Almanac, it’ll be time to “cuddle up with some hot apple cider!” Conditions for the Southeast, including Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida, are expected to be fair but cold. “Cold” being relative for the Sunshine State, of course.
The Almanac has predicted a return to cooler weather in its 2023-2024 winter forecast, with a greater chance of rain for the southeast.
“The Southeast and Florida will see a wetter-than-normal winter, with average winter temperatures overall, but a few frosts may send many shivers to snowbirds trying to avoid the cold and snow back home,” the Farmers’ Almanac predicted.
The Old Farmers’ Almanac, a competitor, predicts warm weather and scattered showers for Nov. 23-30.
What did the Farmers’ Almanac predict for Thanksgiving weather around the country?
If you’ll be traveling for the holidays, here’s what you can expect to run into, according to the Farmers’ Almanac:
- Northeast & New England: New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C. should see “mostly fair but cold weather.”
- Great Lakes, Ohio Valley & Midwest: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Wisconsin may see rain and possibly snow beforehand but see a “mostly fair but cold Thanksgiving.”
- North Central: Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana may get hit with light snow in the Rockies before the holiday, followed by a heavy snowfall in the Nebraska and Dakotas area.
- South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico should see a “clear and cold” holiday, with some stormy weather from the west.
- Northwest: Washington, Oregon, and Idaho may see “rain and wet snow.”
- Southwest: California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona may be getting a “rainy Thanksgiving,” the Almanac said.
USA TODAY reporter Doyle Rice contributed to this article.
ByCNN
Saturday, May 25, 2024 2:04AM
A police officer in Alachua, Florida rescued a tiny kitten from a busy highway; a purr-fect ending.
ALACHUA, Fla. — A police officer in Alachua, Florida rescued a tiny kitten from a busy highway.
The Alachua Police Department said Officer Thomas Stanfield was on patrol when he noticed a small kitten in the middle of a busy highway.
His body camera captured a car passing within feet of the teeny weeny feline.
As a tractor trailer stopped traffic in one lane, the officer moved in quickly and grabbed the kitten. The whole endeavor was captured on his body-worn camera.
Since officers don’t typically have pet carriers in their cruisers, Standfield is seen holding the little furball in his hand as he drove away.
The police department said the kitten has found a new home with one of their dispatchers; all in all, a purr-fect ending.
As Florida sees Powerball and Mega Millions winning streak, the California Lottery said it’s been a lucky May for 6 players.
This is what you can buy if you win the $1 billion lottery
Mega Millions and Powerball are approaching record numbers. Here’s what the winner could buy if they hit the jackpot.
USA TODAY
When it comes to lottery wins, Florida is on a hot streak.
In three months, Florida had 17 lottery prize winners in Powerball and Mega Millions − with ticketholders becoming a millionaire overnight. Some of those wins were from back-to-back drawings. Adding to the hot streak? One ticket from Florida matched all five numbers plus the Powerball to win the $214 million jackpot earlier this month.
And it all starts with a $2 lottery ticket.
As they say in the lottery business, “it could happen to you.”
TL;DR Powerball and Mega Millions lottery wins in Florida
- Tuesday, May 14, 2024: Mega Millions, $1 million
- Tuesday, May 7, 2024: Mega Millions, $1 million
- Monday, May 6, 2024: Powerball, $214 million grand prize
- Tuesday, April 23, 2024: Mega Millions, two tickets won $1 million each
- Friday, April 19, 2024: Mega Millions, $1 million
- Saturday, April 6, 2024: Powerball, $1 million
- Friday, April 5, 2024: Mega Millions, $1 million
- Monday, April 1, 2024: Powerball, $1 million
- Tuesday, March 26, 2024: Mega Millions, two tickets won $1 million each
- Monday, March 25, 2024: Powerball, $1 million
- Saturday, March 23, 2024: Powerball, $1 million
- Friday, March 22, 2024: Mega Millions, $1 million
- Monday, March 18, 2024: Powerball, $1 million
- Saturday, March 9, 2024: Powerball, $1 million
- Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024: Mega Millions, $1 million
In 3 months, Florida had 17 lottery wins for Powerball and Mega Millions. Here’s where winning tickets were bought
Here’s the list of winners and where the winning Mega Millions and Powerball lottery tickets were purchased from February to May, according to the Florida Lottery.
- A Tuesday, May 14, 2024, Mega Millions ticket worth $1 million was a Quick Pick ticket purchased from Publix, No. 1742, 30841 Mirada Blvd., San Antonio.
- In the Tuesday, May 7, 2024, Mega Millions lottery drawing, a secondary winner matched five to win $1 million. That ticket was a Quick Pick purchased at 7-Eleven, No. 34151, 24651 S Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs.
- In the Tuesday, April 23, 2024, Mega Millions lottery drawing, there were two secondary winners that scored $1 million for matching five numbers, according to the Florida Lottery. One was a Quick Pick ticket purchased at Presidente Supermarket, No. 23, 2199 N.W. 36th St., Miami, and one from Circle K, No. 1205, 101 Buena Ventura Blvd., Kissimmee.
- In the Friday, April 19, 2024, Mega Millions lottery drawing, a secondary winner gets $1 million for matching five numbers. It was a Quick Pick ticket from Publix, No. 0777, 9300 W Commercial Blvd., Sunrise.
- In the Friday, April 5, 2024, Mega Millions lottery drawing, a secondary winner gets $1 million for matching five numbers. This Quick Pick ticket was purchased at Publix, No. 1719, 8160 Wiles Road, Coral Springs.
- The Tuesday, March 26, 2024, Mega Millions lottery drawing produced two secondary winners for $1 million each. A Quick Pick ticket was purchased at Murphy USA, No. 7338, 29 Mike Stewart Drive, Crawfordville, and another ticket came from Publix, No. 631, 4495 Roosevelt Blvd., Suite E-1, Jacksonville.
- In the Friday, March 22, 2024, Mega Millions lottery drawing, a Quick Pick ticket from Publix, No. 0785, 4141 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, matched five numbers to win $1 million.
- In the Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, Mega Millions lottery drawing, one Quick Pick ticket matched five numbers to win $1 million. That ticket came from 7-Eleven, No. 32624, 1651 S.W. St. Lucie West Blvd., Port St. Lucie.
Some other notable Powerball lottery wins in Florida:
- Powerball jackpot dropped back down to $20 million again, when one ticket in Florida matched all five numbers and the Powerball in the drawing on Monday, May 6, 2024, to win the $214 million grand prize.
- In Oregon, Cheng Saephan, 46, his wife Duanpen Saephan, 37, and friend Liza Chao, 55, matched all five numbers plus the Powerball to win the record $1.3 billion jackpot with a cash option of $608.9 million on Saturday, April 6, 2024. It was the fourth highest Powerball jackpot of all time and the eighth-highest lottery jackpot of all time. There was a secondary win in Florida for that April 6 Powerball drawing that resulted in a $1 million prize for whomever purchased a Quick Pick ticket from Circle K, No. 9802, 5025 Tampa Road, Oldsmar.
- No joke: Someone matched five numbers to win $1 million in the Monday, April 1, 2024, Powerball lottery drawing. The Quick Pick ticket came from Sedano’s Supermarket, No. 40, 12981 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando.
- In the Monday, March 25, 2024, Powerball lottery drawing, someone won $1 million for matching five numbers. That Quick Pick ticket came from 7-Eleven, No. 39998, 331 W. Silver Star Road, Ocoee.
- In the Saturday, March 23, 2024, Powerball lottery drawing, a Quick Pick ticket from Publix, No. 1142, 7830 Land O’Lakes Blvd, Land O’Lakes, matched five numbers to win $1 million.
- In the Monday, March 18, 2024, Powerball lottery drawing, someone won $1 million for matching five numbers. The ticket was purchased at Stop & Save Food Store, 4801 Clewis Ave., Tampa.
- In the Saturday, March 9, 2024, Powerball lottery drawing, a Quick Pick ticket from City Food Mart, 21 N. 7th St., Haines City, was worth $1 million for matching five numbers.
How long do you have to cash in a winning Florida Lottery ticket?
Prizes for Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has within the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it.
Are other states as lucky as Florida when it comes to Powerball and Mega Millions lottery? Is California a lucky lottery state?
While Florida has had 17 lottery winners in three months for Powerball and Mega Millions, the California Lottery said it’s been a lucky May for six players taking home lottery prizes of all sizes.
- Grace Chu won $10 million from a California 200X scratch-off ticket from 7-Eleven, 5724 Thorton Ave., Newark.
- Daniel Fissaha won $5 million from a 100X Scratchers ticket that was purchased at Tip Top Liquors in San Jose, California.
- Deloria Cooper won $5 million from a Lucky 7’s Scratchers ticket purchased from a 7-Eleven on Via Las Rosas in Oceanside, California.
- Lucy Sansosti won $5 million from a 2024 Scratchers ticket sold at ARCO in Newport Beach, California.
- Arturo Saludes won $2 million on an Instant Prize Crossword Scratchers ticket, purchased from the A-1 Valley Market Deli in Lake Elsinore, California.
- Christopher Powers won $1 million playing an Xtreme Multiplier Scratchers ticket that was purchased at EZ Foodmart in Bakersfield, California.
What are the Top 10 largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history?
The following Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots are the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, as of May 24, 2024. This list shows many billion-dollar lottery winners from California and at least two from Florida.
- 10. $1.08 billion Powerball drawing — July 19, 2023; California
- 9. $1.13 billion Mega Millions drawing — Tuesday, March 26, 2024; New Jersey
- 8. $1.3 billion Powerball drawing — April 6, 2024; Oregon
- 7. $1.337 billion Mega Millions drawing — July 29, 2022; Illinois
- 6. $1.35 billion Mega Millions drawing — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
- 5. $1.537 billion Mega Millions drawing — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
- 4. $1.58 billion Mega Millions drawing — Aug. 8, 2023; Florida
- 3. $1.586 billion Powerball drawing — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
- 2. $1.765 billion Powerball drawing — Oct. 11, 2023; California
- 1. $2.04 billion Powerball drawing — Nov. 7, 2022; California
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
ORLANDO, Fla. – State parks will offer free entry this Memorial Day weekend to Florida residents.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the free admission last month while promoting summer activities in the state.
The free admission runs from Friday through Monday.
Florida has nearly 200 state parks and thousands of miles of trails. The parks range from historic parks like the Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park in Flagler Beach, Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna, to natural springs like Silver Springs State Park in Marion County.
If you’re planning to hit up Blue Springs, De Leon Springs or Wekiwa Springs, expect large crowds.
To find a state park near you, head to the Florida State Parks website.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below:
Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
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