Hazardous Weather Outlook Issued For Tampa Bay Area

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa Bay area is in for a bumpy ride in the weather department over the next few days as forecasters say heavy rain, gusty winds and hazardous boating conditions are likely.

According to the National Weather Service, deep tropical moisture is anticipated to increase in the region over the next few days. That change in conditions is expected to support “scattered to numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms each day,” according to the agency’s Oct. 4 Hazardous Weather Outlook report. “The main hazards will be heavy rain and localized flooding of low-lying and poor-drainage areas, along with gusty winds and occasional lighting strikes.” (For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from St. Pete Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

With strong, gusty winds and elevated seas expected, small craft advisories are also in place for local waters.

While storms are on the way Thursday, forecasters say Wednesday should be almost postcard perfect. Mostly sunny skies with a high around 86 degrees are expected during the daytime hours. Breezy conditions are likely. Overnight, forecasters say partly cloudy skies are likely with a low in the lower 70 expected in much of the region.

The weather service says Thursday will usher in the streak of wet weather. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to move in during the morning hours. There’s a 50 percent chance for heavy rain and breezy conditions during the day with a high in the low 80s forecast. Rain chances increase to 70 percent in the overnight hours when the low should drop into the low 70s.

Heavy rain and scattered showers are expected to stick around through Friday and the upcoming weekend. Forecasters say daily highs should reach the upper 80s with overnight lows in the mid- to upper 70s likely.

With minor-to-moderate flooding continuing in some areas thanks to the heavy rains Hurricane Irma delivered in September, forecasters are warning residents who live along rivers to remain vigilant about water levels.

For an extended forecast for your neighborhood, visit your local Patch’s homepage.

Patch file photo by Sherri Lonon