Tropical Disturbance Gunning for Florida

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Bay area residents might want to consider battening down those hatches once again. A tropical disturbance located near the Bahamas is on a path that is expected to bring it and the potential for heavy rain into the region later this week.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the disturbance has showers and thunderstorms associated with it. As of Sunday afternoon, it was located near the central and southeastern Bahamas.

Conditions are not believed to be conducive for the system to develop into a tropical depression or storm, which is good news for the parts of Florida still waterlogged from Hurricane Hermine’s recent pass across the state. Even so, forecasters say there is a 10 percent chance of development over the next few days.

Forecasters anticipate the system will bring the potential for locally heavy rain to the Florida peninsula by sometime on Tuesday. As of Sunday morning, meteorologists at the National Weather Service’s Ruskin office expected rain chances in the Tampa area to be about 60 percent on Tuesday with a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday. Storm chances remain high heading into Thursday, as well.

Meanwhile, another disturbance under watch by the hurricane center was located about 1,000 miles east of the Leeward Islands Sunday afternoon. That storm is anticipated to become a tropical depression over the next day or so. On its current protected course, the storm poses no threat to Florida and no immediate threat to the Continental United States.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season peaks each year between mid-August and mid-October. While the season technically runs June 1 through Nov. 30, many of the major storms on record have occurred during the traditional eight-week peak.

To find out more about hurricane season and storm preparation in the Tampa Bay area, read these related Patch stories:

• Atlantic Hurricane Season 2016's Peak is Now
• Hurricane Season 2016: Where To Find Local Information
• 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Released
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• 2016 Hurricane Names: Is Yours On the List?
• Tampa Bay 'Ripe for Disaster,' Hurricane Experts Say

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

Image courtesy of the National Hurricane Center