Tampa residents should brace themselves for a sunny day but keep an eye on coastal areas as the National Weather Service has flagged a high risk of rip currents extending through this evening. The weather forecast promises mostly sunny skies today with a pleasant high of around 66 degrees and a breeze coming from the northeast, occasionally gusting up to 21 mph. However, as the day moves into night, temperatures are expected to dip to a low of about 51 degrees, while the wind calms to a north northeast whisper of 7 to 9 mph, according to the latest updates from the National Weather Service.
Looking ahead, the weather should remain generally benign, with the forecast for tomorrow showing a sunny climate, promising to hit a high near 74 degrees. Lighter winds from the north northeast will accompany the sunny conditions. However, rip currents are a deceptive beast, silently lurking off the shores of Pinellas, Coastal Hillsborough, Coastal Manatee, Coastal Sarasota, Coastal Charlotte, and Coastal Lee Counties, where swimmers might meet danger unbeknownst to the seemingly calm surface.
By Wednesday, temperatures are expected to continue their gradual climb, reaching a high near 77 degrees under partly sunny conditions, setting the stage for balmy evenings. Despite the mostly cloudy sky forecasted for Wednesday night, the low is expected to hover around 61 degrees. East winds will blow softly at around 6 mph on both days.
Later in the week, Thursday through Sunday will see daytime highs floating from near 80 to 82 degrees, with nights just slightly cooler. As placid as this may sound, the National Weather Service has not laid back in issuing a coastal hazard message, alerting to a "high rip current risk in effect from this evening through Monday evening." While enjoying the warm weather, beachgoers should heed the warning that "rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water."
The National Weather Service advises those heading to the beach during this period to swim near a lifeguard and provides guidance for those caught in a rip current. "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."
