Damaging Winds, Hail, Wet Weather Expected During FL Storms: NWS

FLORIDA — As a strong storm system pushes across the U.S. toward the East Coast, there’s a marginal risk for severe weather throughout much of Florida Wednesday, the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay office posted to X, formerly Twitter.

The line of storms expected to hit the Sunshine State could see damaging wind gusts from 60 to 70 mph, as well as hail 1-inch in diameter or larger, NWS forecasters said.

The worst of the weather will hit central Florida, across both coasts, as far north as Crystal River and as far south as Charlotte County, according to the agency.

Some cities in this area could see anywhere from half an inch to an inch of rain through Thursday morning.

A large high-pressure ridge in Central Florida means some areas will see near-record heat before Wednesday’s storms move across the state, ClickOrlando.com said. Orlando will see highs close to 90 on Tuesday.

With muggy and humid weather expected Tuesday into Wednesday evening, the storm system will bring much cooler weather to the state by Friday. West and Central Florida will see highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s over the weekend, according to NWS.

“After some muggy conditions overnight (Tuesday) and tomorrow, showers and storms Wednesday PM will usher in cooler and much drier air that will stick around into the weekend,” Denis Phillips, ABC Action News meteorologist, wrote in a Facebook post.

This is likely one of the last cold fronts Florida will see until the fall, Fox 13 meteorologists said.

National Weather Service Forecast

Tampa Bay

• Tuesday: Patchy fog before 9 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 85. South southwest wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
• Tuesday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 71. South southwest wind 8 to 10 mph.
• Wednesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 82. Windy, with a south southwest wind 18 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between ¾ and 1 inch possible.
• Wednesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Low around 61. West wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. West northwest wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. West wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 74. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
• Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 54. West northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 74. North wind 8 to 10 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
• Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58.

Orlando

• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.
• Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
• Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. High near 85. Windy, with a south southwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
• Wednesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Low around 59. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 75. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 53. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 74. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. East wind 5 to 10 mph.