TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Showers and storms remain in the Gulf of Mexico this morning, but rain chances increase to 60% later this afternoon and into the evening. Some of those late-day downpours will produce gusty winds and frequent lightning.
Temperatures climb quickly into the low 90s early this afternoon before the rain and clouds arrive. The average high temperature at Tampa International Airport is 89 degrees today. The average high has been 90 degrees since June 4th. It’s an indication that the bulk of the summer heat is behind us, even if we have plenty of hot and humid days ahead of us.
Once the storms end tonight, overnight lows will be in the mid 70s.
A similar day is expected tomorrow with highs in the low 90s and a 50% chance of storms after 3pm. The rain chance drops slightly to 40% Saturday afternoon, but it goes back to 50% Sunday.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Today is the statistical peak of hurricane season, and there plenty of systems to track right now. Tropical Storms Paulette and Rene should curve north and head into the central and northern Atlantic. A tropical wave about to come off the coast of Africa has a 90% chance of becoming our next tropical storm. A second wave from Africa has a 30% chance of developing. Closer to home, there are two tropical waves. One is near the Carolina coast with just a 10% chance of development before coming onshore. The second one has a 20% chance of developing in the Gulf of Mexico.
