Thu Feb 20 12:40:00 UTC 2025: ## South Florida’s Heatwave Breaks, Cool Front Brings Rain Chance and Chilly Temperatures

**West Palm Beach, FL –** After a near-record-breaking heatwave, South Florida is experiencing a dramatic temperature drop thanks to two cold fronts. West Palm Beach reached a high of 87 degrees Sunday, just shy of the 1927 record of 88 degrees, a stark contrast to the normal high of 77 degrees for this time of year.

A second cold front is expected to arrive Wednesday night, bringing with it a 20% chance of rain and temperatures dipping into the 50s by Friday morning. While Wednesday may still see highs in the low 80s, drier air is anticipated by Thursday or Friday, according to Robert Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Miami. The Treasure Coast may see highs struggling to reach 70 degrees Thursday and Friday.

This cooling trend is linked to a major winter storm brewing in the northern Gulf of Mexico (recently renamed the Gulf of America by the Trump administration) that’s expected to bring significant snowfall to the mid-Atlantic region. Meteorologists are calling it the final, and potentially strongest, storm in a series of February storms.

The extended period of warm weather contributed to West Palm Beach experiencing its fourth warmest February in 128 years, with temperatures averaging seven degrees above normal. Furthermore, February is the driest on record for the area, with less than an inch of rainfall at Palm Beach International Airport (PBIA), over four inches below average. This severe drought condition has prompted the U.S. Drought Monitor to classify the northern half of Palm Beach County as being in severe drought.

The dry conditions are consistent with the current La Niña pattern, which typically brings extended dry periods, increased risk of wildfires, and above-normal temperatures to South Florida. The South Florida Water Management District highlights the situation, noting only 40% of typical rainfall has been received so far this dry season.

Adding to the unusual weather conditions, reports of sticky tar balls on South Florida beaches persist, with the source remaining unknown despite investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard. High rip current risks also continue along Palm Beach County beaches.

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