Tampa Bay Tropical Weather: Are You Ready?

TAMPA BAY, FL — As a tropical disturbance edges closer to Florida, forecasters are warning residents in the Tampa Bay area to keep their eyes on weather.

As of Thursday morning, the disturbance was located southeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands and was producing gale-force winds, the National Hurricane Center wrote in its Tropical Weather Outlook report. The storm is anticipated to continue on a northwestward track and has an 80 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression or tropical storm over the next few days.

“There are still many questions regarding the precise path and intensity of this system,” forecasters at the National Weather Service’s Ruskin office wrote in their Thursday Hazardous Weather Outlook report for the Tampa Bay area. “But, all interests across Florida and the northern Gulf Coast should monitor the situation closely as the system drifts northwestward toward the Bahamas this weekend.”

As of Thursday morning, forecasters anticipated a wet, but fairly normal weekend ahead for the Tampa Bay area. While rain chances on Friday are only anticipated at 30 percent, those chances increase to 60 percent on Saturday and Sunday. How much of an impact the disturbance will have on the region remains unclear, forecasters say.

Regardless of the system’s eventual track, the National Hurricane Center is advising residents throughout Florida to keep an eye on the storm’s progress and to prepare. “It is increasingly likely that some impacts, at a minimum heavy rains and gusty winds, will occur beginning this weekend.”

Residents in the Tampa Bay area can stay up-to-date with local information by keeping tabs on their county’s emergency management office. Here is where to find advisories and other important information, such as shelter locations and preparation advice by county:

Hillsborough County

The county’s Office of Emergency Management website offers everything residents here need to know to weather a storm. Follow these links for information on:

• Evacuation zones
• Shelters
• Planning

Pasco County

The county’s Office of Emergency Management website offers a variety of resources for the storm season. Follow these links for specific information on:

• Evacuation zones
• Getting prepared
• Shelters

Pinellas County

The county has put together an extensive list of resources available to residents on its website. Residents can follow these links to access information on:

• Evacuation zones
• Creating disaster plans
• Shelters

Sarasota County

Residents will find the county’s emergency management website is the place to go for everything they need to know about surviving the season.

Follow these links for specific information on:

• Evacuation zones
• Shelter locations
• Getting Prepared

Manatee County

Manatee County Emergency Management office provides a wealth of information on its website. Follow these links for specific information on:

• Evacuation zones and route maps
• Shelters
• How to sign up for Code Red weather warnings

To keep up with storm activity, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website and keep an eye on your hometown Patch site for local information.

Thursday morning’s projected tropical disturbance track courtesy of the National Hurricane Center