TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tuesday is Election Day across the country, but it’s also still hurricane season for voters living in the southeast – and there may be something to keep an eye on as you head to the polls.
November is the last month of the hurricane season, and we are keeping an eye on some activity. Hurricane Lisa and Hurricane Martin will have no impact on the United States, but forecasters are also watching a new area that could develop next week and potentially impact the U.S.
A Wednesday afternoon tropical weather outlook from the National Hurricane Center said the area of low pressure is forecast to develop this weekend over the Caribbean or southwestern Atlantic, and could then see some subtropical or tropical development.
“Regardless of if it becomes tropical or not it is going to be very close to, if not on top of, the state of Florida as we head toward next Wednesday,” WFLA Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli said.
Berardelli said the expected disturbance is not forecast to become too strong because it’s so disorganized. However, it will likely increase rain chances in parts of Florida, including in the Tampa Bay area.
So when will that rain hit and will it impact voters on Election Day? Berardelli said that depends on where you live in Florida and when you go to vote.
“It’s possible. It looks like the majority of rain [in Tampa Bay] should be Wednesday but on the east coast of Florida, they could certainly see it as early as Tuesday,” he said. “We could even start to see some showers here in the Tampa Bay area later Tuesday.”
Berardelli added that it’s conceivable there could be some weather implications for voting for anyone living along the southeast coast.
“Again, I think the heaviest rain is going to wait until Wednesday. And I also think it may not be heavy enough to stop people from going to the polls, although I can imagine some people saying, ‘it’s raining, I don’t want to go to the polls,'” he said.
If you don’t want to risk getting caught in the rain when you go to vote, you still have time to cast your ballot early this weekend.