Rain Chances Grow Throughout the Weekend

Say goodbye to those long, lazy afternoons with only scant amounts of rain.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service’s Ruskin office say the Tampa Bay area is likely to see rain chances increasing as the weekend rolls along. On the upside, the return of rain is also a return to a “more normal summertime pattern,” said meteorologist Andrew McKaughan.

While rain chances are slight on Friday, set at only 10 percent in the overnight hours, storms are likely to make an appearance on Saturday. Right now, there’s an estimated 40 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms on Saturday during the daytime hours and about a 30 percent chance overnight.

Sunday and Monday both bring a 60 percent chance of storms throughout the day and evening hours.

High temperatures throughout the weekend and into Monday are anticipated to hit the 90-degree mark inland and a “cooler” upper 80s along the coast. Expect lows in the mid to upper 70s.

While Tropical Storm Bertha is making her way toward Florida, McKaughan said she’s probably not much to worry about.

The storm “should stay far enough east for limited impacts,” he said.

For a complete look at weather in the Tampa Bay area, visit the National Weather Service online.