Tampa starts Tuesday, September 15, with temperatures around 77 degrees before dawn and climbing to near 91. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected after 2 p.m., making the morning the cleaner bet for outdoor plans.
Storms Arrive After 2 P.M.
Rain chances stay low through early afternoon, then rise to 60% as storms develop inland in the afternoon, followed by coastal activity in the late afternoon and evening. The National Weather Service Tampa Bay office says storms could bring brief heavy rain and gusty winds.
Tuesday night should turn partly cloudy after scattered showers and thunderstorms taper before 9 p.m. The low will settle near 76 degrees, with east-northeast winds around 6 to 9 mph.
Winds Pick Up Midweek
Wednesday will be slightly cooler but still hot, with a high near 90. Scattered storms are possible after 2 p.m., while easterly winds increase to around 15 mph with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Drier air may limit storm activity along and north of I-4, while coastal communities could see storms later in the afternoon and evening. Thursday stays near 90 degrees with storms possible, then weekend storm chances favor the west coast.
Small Craft Advisory Starts Tuesday Night
Boaters should take a more serious look at the Gulf forecast. A Small Craft Advisory begins at 11 p.m. Tuesday for waters 20 to 60 nautical miles offshore from Tarpon Springs to the Suwannee River and continues through 5 p.m. Thursday, with winds expected to peak Wednesday night at 20 to 25 knots and gusts up to 30 knots.
No watches or warnings are listed for Tampa on land, but lightning, brief downpours and sudden gusts remain the main concerns. Anyone caught outside should head indoors when thunder arrives, rather than waiting for the rain to make the decision obvious.
