TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Tropical Depression Nineteen is moving across South Florida this morning bringing heavy rain and gusty winds. A few isolated passing showers are possible across the Tampa Bay area through midday before showers and thunderstorms develop and become widespread moving from east to west.
The storms that pass through will bring gusty winds and heavy rain. Watch for localized flooding with the ground being saturated. A Flood Watch is in effect for the entire Tampa Bay area.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the coastal waters off Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota Counties. TD 19 will move into the Gulf sometime later today or tonight and is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm as it begins to pull away.
A strong tropical storm is forecast to approach the northern Gulf by the middle of the week.
Deep tropical moisture will remain in place across Florida through at least Monday keeping rain chances higher than normal. Showers and storms will be widespread but mainly during the afternoons each day.
By the middle and end of the week, rain chances come down slighlty to 40% each afternoon. High temperatures will generally be in the upper 80s to low 90s each day.
