Tornadoes, Flash Flooding Possible With Powerful FL Storm: Forecast

FLORIDA — A powerful system in the Gulf of Mexico is predicted to usher severe thunderstorms and possible flash flooding into the Sunshine State this weekend.

With the southern Plains reportedly already being rocked by the severe weather, a storm system could travel from Texas into Louisiana and eventually into the Florida Peninsula by Thursday night.

After leaving Texas, the system is expected to return to the Gulf to become "a potent storm," FOX Weather reported. This could result in heavy downpour in south Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

In Tampa Bay, spotty showers Thursday night will ramp up to heavy downpours Friday morning that could affect the commute to work and school, WFLA said. Frequent lightning and strong winds are often part of these downpours.

Passing showers are still expected to last throughout Saturday. The threat of severe weather is lower, but there’s a 50% chance of a quick downpour.

Rainfall totals from Friday and Saturday should range from an inch to 2-3 inches where the heaviest downpours fall in Tampa Bay. But more rain is likely in South Florida.

Two storm systems will merge to generate drenching rain with increasing winds, building seas and rough surf from Florida to New Jersey from Friday to Saturday, AccuWeather said.

FOX predicted moisture from the Gulf could prompt several rounds of thunderstorms in southern Florida in particular.

"Torrential rain will accompany most of the thunderstorms that develop, with an added threat of damaging wind gusts and even some tornadoes. Forecasts call for as much as 3-5 inches of rain around south Florida, which could lead to flash flooding in Miami and Fort Lauderdale," FOX reported.

The National Weather Service has showers and possible thunderstorms forecast to start after 2 a.m. Friday in the Tampa area.

With a 90 percent chance for showers, rainfall amounts could reach half an inch. Additional rainfall is predicted to come into sunny Florida through Saturday before expecting to start back up Wednesday.

The National Weather Service forecast for Tampa:

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. South wind around 6 mph.

Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 2 a.m. Low around 66. West wind 5-10 mph becoming east in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 75. Breezy, with a southeast wind 14-16 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 a.m, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Breezy, with a south wind 13-17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Breezy, with a west wind 9-15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. West northwest wind 11-14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. North northeast wind 11-14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Northeast wind 11-14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 84. Breezy, with an east wind 13-15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 86. Breezy.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.

Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83.