SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – The pattern that has produced afternoon storms each of the past few days will remain unchanged on Friday.
With temperatures again reaching the low 90s in the afternoon and plenty of surface humidity, there will be enough instability to allow thunderstorm development along the west coast sea breeze. The high pressure ridge to the northeast will continue to produce winds out of the southeast, pushing storms back toward the coast in the late afternoon and evening. 60% chance of rain, primarily in the late afternoon and early evening hours.
Boaters should expect winds out of the southeast at 10-15 knots, becoming southerly later in the day. Seas will be 2-4 ft. with a moderate chop. Isolated showers and storms are possible out in the Gulf early Friday, but the highest threat for storms is in the evening.
This weather pattern will stick around for the weekend, with afternoon and evening thunderstorms forming inland then moving west toward the coast on both Saturday and Sunday. Some upper-level dry air will start to move into the region, but this will do little to limit our rain chances, and may actually lead to stronger surface winds in the most intense storms…