Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued For 27 FL Counties

FLORIDA — Shortly after a tornado watch expired Wednesday in Florida, a severe thunderstorm watch was issued for 27 counties.

The tornado watch expired at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The severe thunderstorm watch is in place until 5 p.m. Wednesday amid rounds of storms making their way through the Southeast, according to the National Weather Service.

Showers and thunderstorms were likely through Wednesday, when wind gusts could reach as high as 23 mph, the weather service said. Southwest winds were forecast at 15 mph.

The weather service issued the tornado watch for the following counties:

• Alachua
• Brevard
• Citrus
• Desoto
• Flagler
• Gilchrist
• Hardee
• Hernando
• Highlands
• Hillsborough
• Indian River
• Lake
• Levy
• Manatee
• Marion
• Okeechobee
• Orange
• Osceola
• Pasco
• Pinellas
• Polk
• Putnam
• Sarasota
• Seminole
• St. Lucie
• Sumter
• Volusia

The alert runs concurrently with a rip current statement for Pinellas, coastal Hillsborough, coastal Manatee, coastal Sarasota, coastal Charlotte and coastal Lee counties.

"Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help," weather officials said in the statement.

It is expected to clear at 8 p.m. Thursday, when conditions will mostly clear.

More than half an inch of rain is possible in the Tampa area, the weather service said.

The weather service initially predicted that Floridians could be battling temperatures in the mid- to low 90s and heavy, wind-producing showers and thunderstorms daily through the weekend; however, the forecast called for a sunny Thursday and Friday in Tampa and Orlando.

Florida rivers were expected to be at risk for floods next week after heavy rainfall pours into the Southeast this week, AccuWeather forecasters say.

According to AccuWeather, Florida is not the single southern state to face upcoming flood risks.

The risks stretch from northeastern Texas to northern Florida to southern Georgia along the Interstate 10 and 20 corridors, AccuWeather said.

The National Weather Service predicted the following detailed forecast around 2:10 p.m. Wednesday for Tampa Bay:

This Afternoon: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 5 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. High near 87. Breezy, with a west southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind 6-11 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 90. West wind 5-11 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. West northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5-9 mph in the morning.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 78. South wind 6-8 mph.

Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Breezy, with a southwest wind 8-17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. Breezy, with a southwest wind 13-15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Breezy, with a west southwest wind 11-16 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 75.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 90.

Monday Night: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly clear, with a low around 73.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 92.