SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – If you like a little heat, enjoy today! Much cooler air is moving in by the end of the week, just in time for Halloween. A few thunderstorms are likely to pop up on Sunday.
As a cold front approaches, dew points will climb back to low 70s for a more humid feel. Winds on Sunday are out of the East at 10 to 20 mph. As the front moves south on Monday, winds shift to the North and temperatures and humidity levels drop. Then the second cold front moves through the Suncoast Wednesday night with even cooler and drier air. Our highs drop to the 70s, and humidity plunges with dew points dipping to the 50s. Temps across the Suncoast will be 10° below average.
At the beach, scattered thunderstorms could develop with a 40% chance of hit-and-miss activity. Breezy conditions linger for our beaches. With an East at 10 to 20 mph on Sunday, beach umbrellas and tents can still go flying if they are not secured to the sand. Rip current risk is Low with this wind, but always check the flags at lifeguard stations. Surf conditions could be rough at times. Water temps are still holding around 78° to 80° for the weekend. Water temps could drop next week as cooler air returns.
A Small Craft Advisory continues in effect through 8 PM Sunday. Winds will be out of the East at 20 knots with Choppy conditions on Sunday. Waves are 3 to 5 and occasionally 6 feet. Winds and seas will be lower and more gentle on Monday.
Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a dangerous Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, posing an imminent and potentially catastrophic threat to Jamaica and portions of Haiti. A Hurricane Warning is now in effect for Jamaica, where hurricane conditions are expected by Monday, and preparations to protect life and property should be completed immediately. A Hurricane Watch is also in effect for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince, and for eastern Cuba.
As of 8:00 AM EDT, the center of Hurricane Melissa was located 120 miles South Southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. The storm is forecast to continue a slow westward motion through tonight, before turning north and northeast on Monday and Tuesday. This track brings the core of Melissa over Jamaica through Tuesday. The storm will intensify Sunday, with Melissa becoming a Cat 5 hurricane before landfall…