Tropical Disturbance Forms Near Florida's Gulf Coast

TAMPA BAY, FL — The National Hurricane Center is keeping a close eye on the northeastern Gulf of Mexico as a tropical disturbance kicks up cloudy skies and thunderstorms near Florida's coastline.

"Some slow development of this system is possible while it meanders near the coast of the Florida panhandle during the next few days," the hurricane center wrote in its 2 p.m. Friday Tropical Weather Outlook report. The system, an "area of cloudiness and thunderstorms associated with a trough of low pressure," has been given a 10 percent chance of further development over the next 48 hours and a 20 percent chance over the next five days.

Not surprisingly, the Tampa Bay area is in for rainy weekend. Forecasters at the National Weather Service anticipate a 60 percent chance of scattered storms on Friday when the day’s high should only reach the upper 80s. The overnight low should fall into the upper 70s as a 30 percent chance of storms persists.

On Saturday, forecasters say, showers are likely with a 60 percent chance of storms forecast in the daytime hours. The high is expected to once again only reach the upper 80s. Saturday night brings a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms and a low in the mid-70s.

Thunderstorm chances are set at 70 percent in the daytime hours Sunday. The high is anticipated to only reach about 85 degrees. A 50 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms lingers into the overnight hours when the low should once again fall into the upper 70s.

More storms are in the cards as the workweek kicks off Monday with chances remaining high until midweek, at least.

Should the disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico develop enough to earn a name, it would become the sixth named storm of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Its name would be Fiona.

Meanwhile, the fifth named storm of the season, Tropical Storm Earl, was kicking up winds and dumping rain on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula Friday.

So far this year, the only named storm that created concern for Tampa Bay was Tropical Storm Colin. That storm passed by in early June, dumping lots of water and creating some flooding in the region.

To find out more about hurricane season and storm preparation, read these related Patch stories:

• Hurricane Season 2016: Where To Find Local Information
• 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Released
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• 2016 Hurricane Names: Is Yours On the List?
• Tampa Bay 'Ripe for Disaster,' Hurricane Experts Say

To keep up with storm activity as the season develops, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website and keep an eye on your hometown Patch site for local information.

Graphic courtesy of the National Hurricane Center