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    On Memorial Day, Florida residents asked to reconsider their plans and stay indoors. Check latest weather update

    Synopsis

    Florida is expected to experience stormy weather during Memorial Day. Scattered thunderstorms are expected across the state. The National Weather Service warns of potential damaging winds and hail. The Atlantic hurricane season is approaching. Memorial Day honors fallen military personnel. It began after the American Civil War. Communities decorated graves of soldiers. The holiday became federal in 1971.

    Memorial Day Florida weatherAP

    In the United States, Memorial Day is a solemn occasion dedicated to honouring military personnel who lost their lives in service to the nation.

    The residents of Florida who are planning to celebrate Memorial Day outdoors need to reconsider their plans as scattered thunderstorms are set to hit the region. Severe thunderstorm warnings in Brevard, Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties began a potentially-messy weekend afternoon in Central Florida.

    "Keep an eye to the sky and listen for thunder. When thunder roars, go indoors," the National Weather Service (NWS) warns. According to the agency, the rip current risk for the Palm Beach area is currently high while it remains moderate across the rest of the east coast as well as South Walton, Coastal Bay, State Park and south and west-facing coastal Gulf beaches, reports The Irish Star.

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    Thunderstorms to hit Florida

    According to the report, hot and humid conditions, with highs reaching the upper 80s to low 90s, are expected across much of the state and will create the perfect conditions for thunderstorms to develop. The stormy weather comes just days before the Atlantic Hurricane season is set to officially start.

    Florida residents are being urged to brace for a stormy Memorial Day as hot, humid conditions and scattered thunderstorms persist across the state.

    According to the National Weather Service in Miami, there’s an increased risk that strong storms could extend into the workweek. These storms may bring damaging wind gusts and small hail, particularly in the interior and southwestern parts of the state.

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    Thunderstorms are expected in most areas of the Sunshine State on Monday. In Miami, residents can expect a humid day with some cloud cover, followed by afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Tampa will see partly sunny and humid conditions with a high of 93°F. A few thunderstorms are expected to move through in the afternoon and again in the evening before clearing overnight. Orlando will experience similar conditions, with thunderstorms likely in the afternoon and evening. Jacksonville could be among the hardest-hit areas, with AccuWeather warning of "flooding downpours and localized damaging wind gusts."

    Storms are forecast to develop Monday afternoon and continue into the night for much of the state. This unsettled weather pattern is expected to linger, with isolated thunderstorms continuing through the workweek. However, relief may be on the horizon, as the upcoming weekend could bring sunnier skies and lower humidity for some areas.

    The stormy holiday weather comes just ahead of the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity typically occurring between August and October. While no tropical cyclone activity is currently expected over the next seven days, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring two tropical waves off the coast of Africa.

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    All about Memorial Day

    In the United States, Memorial Day is a solemn occasion dedicated to honouring military personnel who lost their lives in service to the nation. The day is observed annually on the last Monday of May- this year, it falls on May 26.

    Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, began in the aftermath of the American Civil War. After the war ended in 1865, communities across the nation started holding ceremonies to honor fallen soldiers, often placing flowers on their graves—an act that inspired the holiday's original name. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, this period also marked the establishment of the first national cemeteries.

    While the day initially commemorated those who died in the Civil War, its purpose broadened after World War I to honor all American military personnel who have died in combat. In 1971, the US Congress declared Memorial Day a federal holiday, to be observed nationwide.


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