Tampa is starting Friday with clear skies and temperatures in the upper 70s, but the calm will not last. Afternoon thunderstorms are expected after 2 p.m., with a high near 92 and heat index values reaching about 102. The wet pattern is expected to stick around through the weekend and into early next week.
Storms Arrive After 2 P.M.
Most of Friday morning should stay mostly sunny, with light south winds of 2 to 6 mph. Showers and thunderstorms become more likely during the afternoon, bringing a 50% chance of rain and possible rainfall totals between a tenth and a quarter of an inch.
The National Weather Service Tampa Bay office says the strongest storms could produce wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph, along with locally heavy rain and flooding in urban or flood-prone areas. No watches or warnings were listed for Tampa Bay in the Friday morning forecast.
Wet Weekend Ahead
Saturday will look much like Friday, with sunshine early, a high near 92 and scattered thunderstorms developing mainly after 2 p.m. The heat index could reach 103, while the chance of rain rises to 60%.
Sunday carries the highest rain chance in the near-term forecast at 70%, with isolated storms possible from the morning into the afternoon and a high near 92. Saturday night and Sunday night could also bring additional showers and thunderstorms, with lows in the mid to upper 70s.
More Storm Chances Next Week
Mostly sunny mornings and afternoon storm chances are expected Monday through Thursday, with highs around 91 or 92 and overnight lows between 75 and 77. The updated outlook continues the unsettled setup described in Hoodline’s earlier Tampa forecast, while the latest forecast keeps heavy rain and gusty storms in the conversation…