The Shields Painting Difference: Perfection with Every Brush Stroke
Many painting companies in Florida rely on flashy marketing and big promises to try and attract new clients. But when it comes time to work, they fall short of their promises. This is often due to a lack of experience, qualified painters, and a drive to overachieve. At Shields Painting, we do things a little differently than other painting companies in Citrus County. We believe that a professional paint job should be as close to perfect as possible. Our goal is to leave you 100% satisfied, whether we're touching up an old residential paint job or performing a complex commercial project. It might sound simple, but we achieve that goal through honesty, hard work, beautiful results, and reasonable pricing.
As a family-owned and operated painting company in Orange Lake, FL, we strive to provide personalized, professional, and friendly service. Shields Painting has been in business since 1968 for a good reason. Whenever possible, we go the extra mile to make sure our customers are happy. Unlike some of our competition, we want to know all about your house or business painting project: your vision, your preferences, your challenges, and your goals. When we understand your needs, we can present you with a fantastic final product - one that you're proud to show off to friends and neighbors.
At Shields Painting, we combine our extensive experience with time-tested, meticulous painting processes, resulting in the highest quality painting results around. As a painting contractor in Citrus County, we can take on a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial projects in Florida.
A few of our most popular painting services include:
- Interior Painting
- Exterior Painting
- Residential Painting
- Commercial Painting
- Cabinet Painting
- Ceiling Painting
- Fence Painting
- Sign Painting
- MUCH More!
Our commercial, industrial, and residential painting contractors take the proper steps to protect your property and belongings while we work. Our team will clean up after ourselves, so your property is left clean and free of debris when we're done. After all, we think there's only one way to do a job, and that's the right way.
Painting Services

Eco-friendly & clean work area.

PDCA Certified Member.

Your Go-To House Painting Company in Orange Lake, FL
Your home is a haven of relaxation and solitude. It is uniquely you - a place where you can express who you are through style and design. Whether you need interior touch-ups for your crown molding or a new exterior coat of paint, hiring a reliable painting contractor is the best way to get quality results.
At Shields Painting, we know how important it is to have a home that highlights your tastes and personality. That's why we offer an extensive array of residential painting services in Citrus County. As tempting as it might be to try a DIY paint job, without the proper skills and experience, there is a good chance that the results will turn out less than satisfactory.
High-quality painting requires skill, experience, and patience. If you're a homeowner who needs residential painting services but doesn't have the time, patience, or skills to handle the job, look no further than Shields Painting. We offer accuracy, precision, and longevity with each paint job we perform. Our customers choose Shields Painting for their home because they receive:
- Free Quotes with Detailed Project Breakdowns
- Affordable Pricing
- Expert Painting Contractors
- High-Quality Paint Products
- Combo of Traditional and Modern Techniques
- Well-Maintained Tools
- Unmatched Craftsmanship
- Friendly, Personalized Service
- Good Old-Fashioned Hard Work!
The majority of our house painting services come in two forms: interior and exterior.
Interior Residential Painting
As an interior painting contractor with decades of experience, our expert technicians have developed an interior painting process that maximizes quality and emphasizes customer satisfaction. We understand that interior painting goes beyond aesthetics. It protects your ceilings and walls and helps you sustain a healthier place to live for your family. When only the finest craftsmanship will do inside your home, Shields Painting is here for you.
Our seasoned team of painting experts and craftsmen is dedicated to respecting your space and providing you with the look and feel you're craving inside your home. Whether you bought a new house and want to make it your own or need minor touch-ups but have no time, Shields Painting is ready to tackle the job, no matter how small or large.
Unlike some painting companies, our interior house painters take the time to get the details right, every time. For instance, color is only one aspect of your interior paint job. The paint sheen or finish is just as important. Certain finishes are better for living rooms and bedrooms than in kitchens and bathrooms. We'll help you find the right finish and paint colors for your home, so you don't have to worry about touch-ups or repainting.
Some of our most popular interior house painting services include:
- Ceiling Painting
- Popcorn Ceiling Removal
- Living Room Painting
- Bathroom Painting
- Basement Painting
- Color Consultations
- More

Cabinet Painting
Citrus County cabinet painting deserves its own section on this page because it requires more time, skill, and quality paint than most sections of your home. If your home's cabinets are built into its woodwork, replacing them can be obnoxiously expensive. Compared to the cost of installing new cabinets, painting your kitchen cabinets is much more affordable.
At Shields Painting, we specialize in transforming old cabinets into new, gorgeous features that are just as usable as they are beautiful. Each step of our cabinet painting process is meticulous and thorough. And we'll take care of the entire job, from cleaning, prep, and sanding to priming, painting, and reassembly. This unique service lets you enjoy a brand-new look in your kitchen without having to go into debt by replacing your cabinets.
Whether your cabinets are new, but you want to change their color or you'd like to transition wood cabinets to a painted finish, Shields Painting has the expertise and experience to give you a new look you'll love.

Exterior Residential Painting
Your home - it's a place that not only keeps your belongings safe. It protects your family and loved ones, too. It's one of your largest investments, and like anything else of value, it should be protected. However, Florida weather can take a toll on your home's structure and paint, lowering your home's value and even putting your family at risk.
While it's true that a beautiful exterior affects your house's value, it shouldn't take thousands of remodeling dollars to make a positive change to your home. There's a fine line between reasonable pricing and top-quality painting, and that sweet spot is what Shields Painting aims for. If you want to transform how your friends and neighbors see your home, never underestimate the power of a professional paint job.
Our exterior residential painting services are designed to boost curb appeal, give your home a fresh look, and help it stand up to Florida's unique weather. But we provide more than that. When you hire Shields Painting for your outdoor painting project, you will enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your home is in truly capable hands. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and help bring out the best in your property, whether you need to re-stain your deck or remove old, peeling paint from your siding.
If you're on the hunt for the very best exterior painting contractor in Orange Lake, FL, look no further than Shields Painting.
Some of our most popular exterior house painting services include:
- Vinyl Siding Painting
- Deck Painting and Staining
- Stucco Exterior Painting
- Wood Exterior Painting
- Porch Painting and Staining
- Soffit Painting
- Fascia Painting
- Window Painting
- Front Door Painting
- Thorough Painting Prep
- More

The Premier Commercial Painting Company in Orange Lake, FL
When it comes to first impressions, your businesses' appearance plays an important role. Your commercial property's paint job factors into its overall aesthetics. A great-looking, well-maintained paint job can mean the difference between a customer walking in your storefront and passing by. Conversely, an old, worn-out commercial paint job can send the wrong message to prospective customers. If you can't take the time to keep up your property's appearance, why would a customer spend their hard-earned money on your products?
The same goes for your businesses' interior paint. Would you want to do business with a company that has peeling paint or unsightly crown molding? At Shield's Painting, our goal is to create a beautiful environment that your customers and employees will love inside and out. When you work with our business painters, you can rest easy knowing we treat your business like it were our own. We always clean up after ourselves and know that operations cannot come to a halt just because we're painting. As such, we'll work with your busy schedule to ensure the job gets done right the first time without disrupting your day-to-day commitments.
With decades of commercial painting experience, we know the demands of a commercial painting project necessitate a disciplined and focused approach from the start. Our team of business painters is committed to delivering quality, on-time results on every project, every time - no excuses

We offer professional business painting services to a variety of building types, including:

01
Industrial Painting
A high level of care and finesse are required to effectively paint an industrial property. At Shields Painting, we know that industrial paint jobs involve much more than aesthetics. That's why our industrial services are customized to your specifications, using industrial-grade materials that stand up to heavy-duty operations.
02
Retail Store Painting
Our commercial painters apply effective, yet appealing interior and exterior paint that stand up to the daily rigors of busy retail environments.


03
Small Business Painting
Do you own a restaurant franchise? Have a small "mom and pop" location that needs a fresh coat of paint? Shields Painting has the resources and reliability to efficiently get the job done the first time. That way, you can focus on serving your customers, not having your business repainted.
04
Healthcare Location Painting
From walk-in clinics to long-term care facilities, Shields Painting is sensitive to your patients' needs. We know you must protect your patient's privacy while maintaining productivity. Our approach to healthcare location painting centers around your schedule to avoid disruptions in care.


05
Apartment Complex Painting
Erase signs of wear and make your apartment complex or multi-family building a more desirable place to live with a stunning, professional paint job.
Florida's Most Trusted Painting Contractor
Shields Painting has been in the business since 1968. In a world where so much has changed, we are proud to uphold the ideals that make us successful: hard, honest work, getting the job done right, and excellent customer service. Providing you with trustworthy, quality work will always take priority over rushing through a project to serve the next customer. That is just not the way we choose to do business.
As professionals dedicated to perfection, we strive to provide a unique painting experience for every customer - one that focuses on their needs and desires instead of our own. Whether you need residential painting for your home or commercial painting for your business, we encourage you to reach out today to speak with our customer service team. Whether you have big ideas about a new paint project or need our expertise and guidance, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Latest News in Orange Lake, FL
Severe thunderstorm watch issued for most of Central Florida
FOX 35 News Staffhttps://www.fox35orlando.com/news/severe-thunderstorm-watch-issued-for-most-of-central-florida
ORLANDO, Fla. - Strong storms started rolling into Central Florida on Saturday afternoon, prompting weather alerts for most counties.A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Seminole, Orange, Brevard, Sumter, Polk, and Lake counties until 8 p.m.Saturday is a FOX 35 Weather Impact Day. FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Brooks Garner says the primary threat today from thunderstorms is damaging wind gusts.Central Florida is expected to see highs in upper 90s, but the &lsq...
ORLANDO, Fla. - Strong storms started rolling into Central Florida on Saturday afternoon, prompting weather alerts for most counties.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Seminole, Orange, Brevard, Sumter, Polk, and Lake counties until 8 p.m.
Saturday is a FOX 35 Weather Impact Day. FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Brooks Garner says the primary threat today from thunderstorms is damaging wind gusts.
Central Florida is expected to see highs in upper 90s, but the ‘feels like’ temperatures will be between 107 - 112 degrees in some areas. Saturday is expected to tie Tuesday for the hottest day of the week with 98 as the high temperature in Orlando. Leesburg is expected to hit a high of 100-degrees even without the heat index.
If you're headed to a theme park, it will be a hot and humid day for the park goers. Temperatures will start off warm, reaching 90 by 12 p.m.
Head to the beaches early on Saturday. Mostly sunny skies along the Atlantic coastline until noon, then clouds will creep in. Rain chances will be high for the beaches with showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. The surf will be around 2 ft and there will be a moderate risk for rip currents.
HEAT ADVISORY IN FLORIDA
A Heat Advisory is in effect for most of Central Florida from 2 - 8 p.m. Counties include Volusia, Lake, Sumter, Seminole, Orange, and Osceola.
Make sure you take breaks inside the A/C, wear lightweight clothing and check on your elderly neighbors.
DOWNLOAD: FOX 35 NEWS APP | FOX 35 STORM TEAM WEATHER APP
WILL IT RAIN THIS WEEKEND IN CENTRAL FLORIDA?
Storm chances are on the rise this weekend beginning around 5 p.m. on Saturday and into the evening. The rain should clear out around 10 - 11 p.m.
More rain and heat is expected on Sunday for Father's Day.
Because of the excessive heat, Seminole County officials have activated their "Extreme Weather Plan." The county's cooling centers will be at all parks and libraries throughout the county.
RELATED: Florida heat wave: These are the hours you should avoid being outdoors
HOW TO STAY COOL IN HOT WEATHER
Emergency managers say if you do plan on being outside, be sure to stay hydrated, stay in the shade as much as possible, and take breaks when you need. They've also put an emergency relief shelter on standby in case any local assisted living facilities or nursing homes lose power or air conditioning.
They say all cooling centers will have supplies and personnel who can help people looking to beat the heat. The county also has mobile conditioner units that they can bring to nursing homes that lose air conditioning and use on-site.
HOTTEST HOURS OF THE DAY
The hottest hours are between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. so experts advise staying inside if you can and avoid taking your pets for long walks at that time, especially on asphalt or concrete.
Head to the beaches early on Saturday. Mostly sunny skies along the Atlantic coastline until noon, then clouds will creep in. Rain chances will be high for the beaches with showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. The surf will be around 2 ft and there will be a moderate risk for rip currents.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Launches Guest of Honor Program, Introduces Partnership with Vacations for Vets
Holiday Inn Club Vacationshttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holiday-inn-club-vacations-launches-guest-of-honor-program-introduces-partnership-with-vacations-for-vets-301556666.html
ORLANDO, Fla., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated, a national vacation ownership company, announced today the launch of Guest of Honor, a program that provides complimentary resort stays to active-duty military, veterans and their families. In conjunction with the launch of Guest of Honor, Holiday Inn Club Vacations has introduced its pa...
ORLANDO, Fla., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated, a national vacation ownership company, announced today the launch of Guest of Honor, a program that provides complimentary resort stays to active-duty military, veterans and their families. In conjunction with the launch of Guest of Honor, Holiday Inn Club Vacations has introduced its partnership with Vacations for Vets, a program run by In Honor of Our Troops (IHOOT), a nonprofit organization that works with hospitality brands to provide free lodging to active-duty military and veterans.
Beginning Memorial Day weekend, nine different military members and their families will enjoy a week-long stay at several Holiday Inn Club Vacations properties located across the U.S., including Orange Lake Resort in Orlando, Florida; Desert Club Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada; Villages Resort at Lake Palestine in Flint, Texas; and Oak n' Spruce Resort in the Berkshires in South Lee, Massachusetts. To kick off this program, Holiday Inn Club Vacations donated more than 10 million Club points. Moving forward, the Company will continue to provide complimentary stays to military members by collecting donated points from Holiday Inn Club members.
"At Holiday Inn Club Vacations, we believe that travel not only brings families closer together, but truly strengthens their bonds. Our brave military members, along with the dedicated families who take on the important role of loving and supporting a service member, deserve this more than anyone," said John Staten, President and Chief Operating Officer at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated. "Our Club members fully understand the immeasurable benefits of traveling together, so we are confident they will embrace this great new program with open arms."
"For the selfless men and women who serve our country, a vacation is far more than a chance to relax with friends and family. It's an opportunity to heal as they transition back to civilian life, along with time to reconnect with loved ones," said Philip Strambler, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IHOOT. "We are grateful for our partnership with Holiday Inn Club Vacations, as it allows our team to bring these life-changing experiences to even more members of our military."
To apply for a stay through Vacations for Vets, active-duty military members and veterans should visit ihoot.org. For more information on Holiday Inn Club Vacations and its network of resorts, visit holidayinnclub.com.
About Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated Encompassing 28 resorts, 7,900 villas in 14 U.S. states and more than 365,000 timeshare owners, Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated is a resort, real estate and travel company with a mission to be the most loved brand in family travel by delivering easy-to-plan, memorable vacation experiences that strengthen families.
Based in Orlando, Fla., the Company has been a leader in the vacation ownership industry since 1982, when it was established by Holiday Inn® founder Kemmons Wilson with the opening of the Company's flagship property, Holiday Inn Club Vacations® at Orange Lake Resort next to Orlando's Walt Disney World® Resort.
Today, the Holiday Inn Club Vacations resort portfolio spans across the United States. Throughout its history, the Company has maintained the core family values true to its majority ownership by the Wilson family, while aggressively pursuing growth, transforming its member engagement model and building an industry-leading team passionate about the guest experience.
About In Honor of Our Troops (IHOOT)In Honor of Our Troops (IHOOT) is a 501c3 nonprofit charity established over 20 years ago at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when the seriously wounded began arriving for treatment there. When Philip Strambler, a Vietnam-era USMC Officer, was serving as a Director of the medical center, he immediately understood first-hand how the difficult and painful the transition from military life back to civilian life was, especially for those who were permanently disabled. To address these needs, he developed IHOOT and its Vacations for Vets program.
Vacations for Vets provides rest, recuperation and healing to help reconnect and reestablish healthy family relationships. The program provides free accommodations for up to 8-days and 7-nights for active-duty military and veterans with proof of honorable service accompanied by their families and/or friends. The application process must be completed online at www.ihoot.org.
Media Contact:Ashley Fraboni, Holiday Inn Club Vacations407.315.8866afraboni@holidayinnclub.com
SOURCE Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Orange County health officials issue toxic blue-green algae warning for Lake Ivanhoe
WESHhttps://www.wesh.com/article/lake-ivanhoe-algae/40279715
ORLANDO, Fla. —Health officials in Orange County have issued a warning Monday to stay out of the water in Lake Ivanhoe where harmful blue-green algae has been detected.The algae was found in samples collected by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.As a result, residents and visitors are warned not to drink, swim, wade or boat in the water at Lake Ivanhoe.You should thoroughly wash skin or clothing that comes in contact with the algae or discolored, smelly water.Also, ke...
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Health officials in Orange County have issued a warning Monday to stay out of the water in Lake Ivanhoe where harmful blue-green algae has been detected.
The algae was found in samples collected by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
As a result, residents and visitors are warned not to drink, swim, wade or boat in the water at Lake Ivanhoe.
You should thoroughly wash skin or clothing that comes in contact with the algae or discolored, smelly water.
Also, keep pets away from the area.
Blooms have the potential to produce toxins that cause irritate the eyes and throat.
What is blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida's freshwater environments. A bloom occurs when rapid growth of algae leads to an accumulation of individual cells that discolor water and often produce floating mats that emit unpleasant odors.
Some environmental factors that contribute to blue-green algae blooms are sunny days, warm water temperatures, still water conditions and excess nutrients. Blooms can appear year-round but are more frequent in summer and fall. Many types of blue-green algae can produce toxins.Is blue-green algae harmful?
Blue-green algae blooms can impact human health and ecosystems, including fish and other aquatic animals.
Find current information about Florida's water quality status and public health notifications for harmful algal blooms and beach conditions by visiting ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov.
What do I do if I see an algal bloom?
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection collects and analyzes algal bloom samples. To report a bloom to DEP, call the toll-free hotline at 855-305-3903 or report online.
To report fish kills, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute at 1-800-636-0511.
Report symptoms from exposure to a harmful algal bloom or any aquatic toxin to the Florida Poison Information Center, call 1-800-222-1222 to speak to a poison specialist immediately.
Contact your veterinarian if you believe your pet has become ill after consuming or having contact with blue-green algae contaminated water.
If you have other health questions or concerns about blue-green algae blooms, please call the Florida Department of Health in Orange County Algal Bloom Information Line at 407-723-5216.
Tips to Prevent Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
floridahealth.govhttps://orange.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2022/06/Heat-Stroke-Heat-Exhaustion.html
Tips to Prevent Heat Stroke and Heat ExhaustionHealth Related Illness (Spanish)ORLANDO, FL – Summer is here and so are the high temperatures that can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The Florida Department of Health in Orange County encourages residents and visitors to beat the heat and stay cool with the following tips to prevent heat exhaust...
Tips to Prevent Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
Health Related Illness (Spanish)
ORLANDO, FL – Summer is here and so are the high temperatures that can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The Florida Department of Health in Orange County encourages residents and visitors to beat the heat and stay cool with the following tips to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat Stroke
Symptoms of heat stroke include extremely high body temperature above 103ºF or higher, hot, red, dry or damp skin, no sweating, hallucinations, chills, throbbing headache, confusion/dizziness and/or slurred speech.
What to do for Heat Stroke:
Heat Exhaustion
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, extreme weakness or fatigue, dizziness/confusion, nausea, cold clammy/moist skin, pale or flushed complexion, muscle cramps, slightly elevated body temperature and fast/shallow breathing.
What to do for Heat Exhaustion:
Get medical help right away if:• You are throwing up• Your symptoms get worse• Your symptoms last longer than 1 hour
About the Florida Department of Health
The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts. Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.
Potential Tropical Storm Alex to bring flooding rains to Florida
Matthew Cappuccihttps://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/06/02/depression-tropical-storm-alex-florida/
Forecasts are coming into clearer focus ahead of a disturbance that is set to organize in the Gulf of Mexico and head toward South Florida on Friday and Saturday. The National Hurricane Center says there is an 90 percent chance that the system will strengthen into a tropical depression and potentially become Alex, the first named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.With a projected track directly over South Florida, forecast confidence is growing about probable effects. Widespread heavy rain and areas of flooding are expected,...
Forecasts are coming into clearer focus ahead of a disturbance that is set to organize in the Gulf of Mexico and head toward South Florida on Friday and Saturday. The National Hurricane Center says there is an 90 percent chance that the system will strengthen into a tropical depression and potentially become Alex, the first named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.
With a projected track directly over South Florida, forecast confidence is growing about probable effects. Widespread heavy rain and areas of flooding are expected, along with gusty winds, a minor ocean surge and a couple of tornadoes.
The National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm watches for much of Southern Florida, the Florida Keys and western Cuba on Thursday evening. It cautioned “considerable flash and urban flooding is possible,” due to the potential storm.
June tropical storms and hurricanes are not uncommon in Florida, according to Michael Lowry, a hurricane specialist for the ABC television affiliate WPLG in Miami. In an online discussion, he said that of all the Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes that have affected land in June, “more than a third have been in the state of Florida.” He added that these storms typically aren’t very strong but are “often prolific rainmakers.”
This disturbance marks the first tropical threat of 2022 in the Lower 48 states and the start of what forecasters fear will be the seventh straight above-average Atlantic hurricane season.
Researchers at Colorado State University updated their seasonal outlook Thursday morning, increasing their projections for the season’s severity.
They now expect 20 named storms — compared to an average of 14.4 — among which should be 10 hurricanes and five major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher. They say that the season should be about 35 percent more active than is typical and that there’s a 76 percent chance that a major hurricane strikes the U.S. mainland.
Tropical Atlantic and eastern subtropical and mid-latitude Atlantic are warmer than normal. When these regions are warmer than normal in June, Atlantic #hurricane seasons are typically more active. pic.twitter.com/DsnNEhCcUl
The National Hurricane Center has designated the area of disturbed weather east of the Yucatán Peninsula an “invest,” meaning it bears watching and could intensify into a depression or storm.
Thus far, the system — which includes the thunderstorm remnants of deadly Hurricane Agatha — has been struggling against strong high-altitude winds that have proved hostile to its development. But a recent flare-up of thunderstorm activity over the open waters east of the system’s center is an indicator that gradual development is probable, anyway.
Data from a scatterometer, or satellite-based sensor, suggests that winds within the system generally range between 25 and 30 mph, but the satellite was not in a position to ascertain whether a cohesive vortex, or center of circulation, was present. That’s a requirement for the disturbance to become a tropical depression.
That could happen by early Friday as the system churns northeast, its center drifting toward the area between Cancún and the western tip of Florida. Despite pernicious wind shear, or a change of wind speed and/or direction with height, the disturbance could reach tropical storm strength and earn the name Alex before arriving in South Florida.
Areas affected: The greatest impacts in Florida will be in the Keys, the Florida Straits and southern parts of the Florida peninsula. That’s because the center of low pressure may pass just to the north of Lake Okeechobee as it slips across south-central Florida on Friday evening. The heaviest rain is projected south of the center.
Timeline: Light rain will break out in the early hours of Friday morning, becoming moderate to heavy from southwest to northeast during the afternoon and evening. The core of the storm — with the gustiest winds and heaviest rain squalls — will traverse the Keys in the predawn hours Saturday and cross through South Florida, including the Miami metro area, during the late morning into the evening hours.
Rainfall totals: Most of the moderate-to-heavy rain will remain south of Tampa to the Port Canaveral line. Fort Myers and Naples might see 2 to 4 inches, but closer to the Everglades and Miami, as well as the Keys, a general 4 to 8 inches appears favored, with maximum totals up to a foot.
Winds: In most places, winds probably will peak only in the blustery range, with gusts between 20 and 35 mph. A small region near the coastline might see sustained winds approach or meet the 39 mph tropical storm threshold if the system is named. There is an outside chance of a stronger tropical storm that could produce winds exceeding 50 mph, which would pose a risk of power outages. The strongest winds are expected Friday night or Saturday morning.
Surge: The surge, or storm-driven rise in water above normally dry land along the coast, is predicated on wind and, ultimately, will depend on the strength of the system. It’s unlikely that the surge exceeds a foot or two or results in more than minor coastal flooding close to high tide. The surge risk is highest in coastal southwestern Florida.
Tornadoes: The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has placed the Keys and extreme southwestern Florida under a level 1 out of 5 “marginal risk” for severe weather for Friday and Saturday to accommodate the potential for quick-hitting tropical tornadoes. That’s because of the wind shear associated with landfalling tropical systems, primarily to the right of the center, which can impart a twisting force on individual cells within the spiral rain bands.
The storm probably will move offshore of Florida and brush the northwestern Bahamas late Saturday before passing over the open northwestern Atlantic near the Gulf Stream. There’s a chance it could strengthen along the way, but it shouldn’t affect land. Most model simulations indicate that it will pass safely north of Bermuda, but residents there should monitor forecasts.
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