Tampa Bay Weekend Weather: Heat Indexes Near 100 Expected

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Bay area residents hoping for cooler temperatures with fall’s impending arrival are likely out of luck in the weekend ahead. According to forecasters at the National Weather Service, the region is in for a string of days with highs around 90 and heat index values near 100 degrees.

Friday kicks the weekend off with a 50 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms in the cards in the afternoon hours. The day’s high should reach about 90 with heat index values around 99 degrees, forecasters say.

Rain chances persist into the overnight hours Friday starting at 30 percent or so in the early evening hours. They drop down to 20 percent as the night progresses. The evening low is expected to reach the mid-70s.

Saturday is expected to bring a 50 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms mainly after 11 a.m. The day’s high is anticipated to reach about 90 degrees with heat index values once again climbing to about 99 degrees. Overnight, rain chances drop to 20 percent in much of the region with a low in the mid-70s anticipated.

There’s a 40 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms in the cards heading into Sunday morning. As of Friday, forecasters anticipated those storms to move in after 8 a.m. Mostly cloudy conditions and a high around 90 degrees are also expected.

Rain chances dwindle in the overnight hours Sunday when mostly cloudy conditions are likely. The overnight low is anticipated to near the upper 70s.

Forecasters do not anticipate severe weather over the weekend, but do warn daily thunderstorms could bring locally heavy rains, strong, gusty winds and deadly lightning strikes along with them.

Monday is expected to start the workweek off with conditions similar to the weekend in store. Forecasters say there’s a 40 percent chance of storms during the daytime hours with a high around 90 degrees expected in much of the region.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are currently tracking five different storm systems. None of those storms pose an immediate threat to Florida or the Tampa Bay area. Newly formed Tropical Storm Karl was on a projected path Friday morning that may bring it near Puerto Rico by mid-week. Where it will go from there is too soon to tell.

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

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