Cold Front Set To Shake Up Tampa Bay’s Weather

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Bay area residents and visitors will have to endure another day of temperatures soaring into the low 90s. But, there's some good news on the horizon. Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Ruskin say a change is on the way.

A cold front expected to move through the region on Thursday should bring high temperatures back down into the upper 70s for a few days. In order to arrive at that payoff, however, forecasters say folks will have to endure a hot, sunny Wednesday, increasing chances for storms on Thursday and the likelihood of rough conditions on local waters as the weekend nears.

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According to the weather service, Wednesday will be a scorcher. Mostly sunny skies are anticipated throughout the day with a high in the low 90s likely in much of the region. Partly cloudy overnight conditions are expected with a low in the low 70s.

Thursday is expected to start off with mostly sunny skies and a high in the upper 80s. Rain chances begin to creep into the picture in the afternoon hours. Those chances rise to about 70 percent heading into the overnight hours when the low is expected to fall into the upper 60s.

Forecasters say thunderstorms are “expected” throughout the region in the overnight hours Thursday. Those storms could kick up strong winds, locally heavy rain and “frequent deadly lightning strikes,” the service wrote in Wednesday’s Hazardous Weather Outlook report.

Friday is also expected to be a wet one with a 60 percent chance of showers likely in the region. The silver lining in the clouds, however, is a high that is only expected to reach the mid- to upper 70s. Partly cloudy skies with a low in the mid-60s are anticipated in the overnight hours.

Forecasters say Saturday and Sunday should be sunny, mild days. Mostly sunny skies are forecast for Saturday with a high in the upper 70s. Mostly clear skies are expected in the nighttime hours with a low in the lower 60s likely. Sunday will be a bit warmer with a high in the low 80s forecast. Warmer, drier conditions are expected to return as the workweek begins.

While the front is expected to cool things down in the region, forecasters warn that it could also create hazardous conditions on local waters. High surf is expected to increase rip current risks in coastal areas on Friday and Saturday both. Small craft operators are also being warned that winds around 20 knots could make conditions perilous for them on Friday.

The drying out expected between Saturday and Tuesday may also deliver a return of fire weather concerns, forecasts say. Outdoor burn bans remain in effect in many Tampa Bay area counties.

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

Patch file photo