Florida July 4 Weekend Weather: Rain, Storms In Forecast

FLORIDA — Keep an eye on the sky for lightning and scattered thunderstorms this Fourth of July weekend, but there is also plenty of sun forecast for Sunday and Independence Day. So the three-day weekend looks to be a typical Florida summer with shifts from sunny to stormy.

High temperatures will be seasonal in the Tampa area, reaching the low- to mid-90s through the holiday weekend. But before we get to the upcoming holiday weekend, we could see periods of rain all week, according to the National Weather Service.

Friday appears to be the rainiest, with an 80 percent chance of showers, but Saturday through Monday the NWS predicts a 60 percent chance of rain.

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring three areas of disturbed weather in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. "The good news for Florida is that none of these pose a threat to the area over the coming week," the weather service said.

A cold front is likely to bring thunderstorms to the Gulf of Mexico region late in the week, said AccuWeather.

Weak disturbances roaming about these areas can enhance the thunderstorms from time to time, in which case the chance of localized flash flooding can increase, along with isolated strong wind gusts that can break tree limbs and lead to sporadic power outages. Cities at risk for locally heavy, gusty thunderstorms include Atlanta, New Orleans, Orlando and Houston.

"People who will be spending time outdoors over the holiday weekend are encouraged to monitor the weather for changing conditions and move indoors or seek shelter in a hard-top vehicle at the first rumble of thunder," AccuWeather said.

In the Miami metro, the National Weather Service predicts a 40 to 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms daily from Friday through July 4. Highs will be in the low- to upper 80s each day.

Here's the week-ahead forecast via the National Weather Service:

Tuesday Afternoon: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 108. South wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

Tuesday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m.. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 75. East southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 107. East southeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Wednesday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms between 8 p.m. and 2a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming east in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Thursday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m.. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. East wind around 6 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Thursday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. North northeast wind around 7 mph becoming east after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. High near 93. South southeast wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 8pm. Low around 76. East southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. East southeast wind 8 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.