Sunshine In Tampa Bay’s Forecast: Will It Last?

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Bay area residents and visitors feeling a little waterlogged after a steady string of stormy days may want to get out and enjoy the sunshine while they can. A break in the rain is expected before the week comes to a close, but it’s not expected to last for long.

According to weather service forecasters, Thursday should continue on a track that’s pretty normal this time of year. Sunshine in the earlier part of the day is expected to gradually fade in favor of likely scattered thunderstorms. The day’s high is expected to hit the low to mid-90s in much of the region. Storm chances will continue into the nighttime hours when the low should drop into the mid-70s.

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Once Thursday’s storms clear out, however, forecasters say the region is in for a sunny, but hot Friday with a high in the low 90s.

“Rain chances will decrease some Friday and Saturday before more numerous showers and thunderstorms can be expected Sunday into early next week,” forecasters wrote in Thursday’s Hazardous Weather Outlook report. Forecasters expected Friday’s rain chances to be scant, however. Even so, Tampa Bay weather being what it is, a few drops could fall somewhere in the region.

Rain returns to the forecast on Saturday with a 30-percent chance predicted. The day, however, should start out with partly sunny skies before any storms crop up. The likelihood of storms rises to 40 percent on Sunday and 60 percent to kick off the workweek on Monday.

As always, the weather service is warning that some of the storms that crop up over the next few days could be strong ones. Those that are “will be capable of producing gusty winds, heavy rain and lightning.”

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

Patch file photo