Strong thunderstorms, severe weather possible in Tampa Bay on Wednesday
Forecasters are anticipating rough weather Wednesday, when a cold front is likely to bring a line of showers and thunderstorms to Tampa Bay.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said there is a “slight” risk of severe weather Wednesday across the Florida peninsula, including Tampa Bay. A “slight” risk is the second level on a scale of 1 out of 5, with “marginal” being the lowest chance of severe weather and “high” being the greatest chance.
Spectrum Bay News 9 meteorologist Kyle Hanson said severe thunderstorms are possible.
“I think the main concern is strong wind gusts,” Hanson said. “I would say that it is in the realm of possibility for larger hail and a brief tornado.”
Hanson said to expect wind speeds up to 60 mph, with some higher gusts possible. Up to an inch of rain is also likely. The window of time for stormy weather in Tampa Bay will run from around noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Hanson said.
The storms stem from strong weather in Mississippi and Alabama, spurred on by a cold front that will push down to Florida.
The storms will be similar to last week, when strong weather brought more than an inch of rain to Tampa. April is a transitional month, when cold fronts that result in stronger weather are common, Hanson said.
While any severe weather will likely have pushed out of the area by Wednesday night, Hanson said it’s possible the Tampa Bay area could see some showers until around midnight.
When the rain exits the area, it will be replaced with drier and cooler weather. The remainder of the week, through the weekend, is likely to be in the mid-70s during the day and in the upper 50s at night.
