TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay residents should prepare for a quick shift in the weather as a blustery system moves through the region today. While the morning started off mostly sunny with temperatures climbing toward 80 degrees, the calm won’t last.
By late afternoon, south-southwest winds are expected to pick up significantly, sustained at nearly 22 mph with gusts reaching as high as 31 mph. Scattered showers are likely to begin after 5 p.m., though the main event is reserved for the overnight hours.
Forecasters are calling for a 80% chance of rain tonight, with thunderstorms expected to roll through before 1 a.m. Residents can expect between a half and three-quarters of an inch of new rainfall as the front passes. As the storms clear out, the wind will shift to the west, and temperatures will drop to a cool 59 degrees by Monday morning…