Severe Storms Target South FL, Rain To Dampen Tampa Bay Beaches

TAMPA, FL — Tis the season for spring break in Florida though storms could rain on the parades of beachgoers.

March marks spring break in the deep south, where plans could be dampened by storms forecast to roll through the area starting Tuesday night.

A round of severe thunderstorms could threaten south Florida, which sat at a Level 1 marginal risk for storms Tuesday through Wednesday, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center.

Tampa, St. Petersburg and Miami could all be impacted by the storms.

"Isolated severe thunderstorms remain possible across a portion of the South-Central states into this evening, and across central to south Florida this evening through late tonight," NOAA wrote in its forecast.

Once the storms pass Wednesday, they could return Saturday night and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service's Tampa Bay office.

Tornadoes, hail, wind damage and flooding are all possible hazards with this week's storms in the southern region, The Weather Channel reported Tuesday.

"The threat of severe weather, flooding will occur in two bouts: First, an upper-level disturbance and a developing area of low pressure will spread wet conditions across the South through Wednesday. The second round of stormy weather, including a potentially increased threat of severe storms, will occur Thursday through Friday, possibly lingering into Saturday ahead of an intensifying low-pressure system," The Weather Channel reported.

The weather outlet said the western Florida Panhandle could be in the path of a line of severe storms moving Friday from eastern Texas to Louisiana, then to southern Mississippi and Alabama before the Sunshine State.

The storms could travel into Saturday, potentially impacting Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas in the southeast. The Weather Channel reported "it's too early to be confident in the details for that part of the forecast."

The National Weather Service predicted the following detailed forecast as of around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday:

This Afternoon: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind around 8 mph.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Low around 68. South wind 5-7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. West southwest wind 6-8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. West southwest wind 5-7 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. North wind around 6 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. West northwest wind around 6 mph becoming east after midnight.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 85. East wind 6-9 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southeast wind 7-10 mph.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 13-18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Breezy.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Breezy.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.