Cooler Weather in Tampa Bay: When's It Coming?

Tampa Bay area residents didn’t need a thermometer to tell them Tuesday was a hot day.

As it turns out, it was a near-record-breaker, as well. Tampa saw its high climb to 88 degrees, tying a record set all the way back in 1961.

As air conditioners continue to run overtime in homes and offices across the Bay area, residents will find they may have to endure a few more scorchers before a little relief arrives.

According to the National Weather Service, Wednesday’s high is likely to climb to that 88-degree mark or higher with more of the same anticipated through Saturday at least. While rain chances are in the cards slightly Wednesday through Saturday, real relief from highs around 90 isn’t anticipated to arrive until Sunday at the earliest.

Sunday brings with it a 40 percent chance of rain and an estimated high temperature in the low to mid-80s. That’s courtesy of a cold front that is hoped to pass through the area. And, while the forecast currently predicts that front’s arrival over the weekend, it’s a promise that’s not etched in stone.

“(It’s) still up in the air,” said weather service meteorologist Nicole Carlisle. “It does look like by Sunday, at least, we might be looking at temperatures that are still above normal, but not quite as above normal.”

Carlisle said this week’s unseasonably warm temperatures can be blamed on an upper level high pressure area that’s been basically sitting over the region. This high pressure system has been enabling the region to really heat up in the daytime while suppressing rain chances in many areas at the same time.

According to The Weather Channel, the average high temperature Tampa on Nov. 4 is 80 degrees. The record high for Nov. 4 was set in 1961 at 90 degrees. The record low was a chilly 36 degrees set in 1966.

For an extended forecast for your neighborhood, visit your local Patch’s homepage.

How are you battling the heat? Tell us by commenting below!

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