TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The weekend continues to be abnormally warm as a ridge of warm moist air continues to transfer north from the Caribbean.
At the same time, air aloft remains stable due to the Atlantic high stretching across the state and into the Gulf Of Mexico. This will keep rain chances at bay for Sunday but allow enough warm moist air into the area for daytime highs to remain 10 to 15 degrees above average, develop a few cumulus clouds and keep it slightly muggy.
This spring-like trend will not last though. To the west, a new approaching front will glide along the Gulf coast of Alabama and the Panhandle, which will stimulate our southerly flow to add more low and mid-level moisture. By Monday, more clouds are expected to develop and bring temperatures down to the upper 70s and lower 80s; which is still above average.
By Tuesday night into Wednesday, the front will push south and swing through the state. Much of the instability with this front will hold further north near Jacksonville and Savannah, Georgia. This will yield only scattered showers for us, keep the storms to the north, and help drop temperatures back to the mid and upper 70s once the front passes Wednesday overnight.
A minor rebound to the upper 70s is expected Friday with yet another low and front combo entering in from the west. This front will pack better chances for rain and isolated storms Friday night into Saturday morning but is more likely to pass entirely by midday.
Unfortunately, behind this front is a more defined dip in the Polar Jet Stream, and with that will come much cooler temperatures. By Sunday morning, expect lows in the 40s and daytime highs in the 60s.
