Happy hurricane season Day One: Your stuff won't wash/blow away

Temperatures are forecast to reach a very summer-like 88 degrees under mostly sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service. Lows will drop only to about 72 degrees tonight with rain chances minimal. A few strong, isolated storms are possible. You know the drill.
Hurricane season begins pleasantly and quietly, as is typical for the area, but be sure to study the Times' storm primer before August. Other informative stuff here. And something to terrify you over your shredded wheat, unless you live east of Brandon ... on the 20th floor.

In happier news, Dr. Jeff suggests El Nino might save us all. Hurrah, El Nino.

Brant James, Times Staff Writer

Today's weather: Rain probable, hail possible

A quarter to half inch of rain is expected from scattered showers and thunderstorms this morning and afternoon across Tampa Bay according to the National Weather Service.

Expect mostly clouds and temperatures reaching a high of 86 degrees today.

Storms could drop another inch of rain in a few spots

Rain chances diminish slightly today, according to the National Weather Service, but storms traversing the area have the potential to drop up to another inch of rain.
Temperatures are expected to reach about 86 degrees with the chance of precipitation about 40 percent today, 30 percent tonight.

Wednesday was a rare day since rains became prevalent on May 12: neither Tampa (8.07 inches of rain this month) nor St. Petersburg (6.68) received at least a trace amount.
Storm activity could commence along the coast this morning, and again, severe conditions are possible.
Lows should drop only to about 73 degrees tonight.
(In an unrelated note, North Carolina gets some pre-season hurricane anxiety practice.)
Brant James, Times staff writer

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Expect rain for inland areas

The best chance of rain for the next few days will focus on inland sections of Central Florida as the daily sea breeze develops. 

However, showers and thunderstorms could still form in the Gulf of Mexico and come in along the coast from time to time. 

Rain chances are down a little tomorrow and up a little on Friday.  Over the weekend, drier air should lower the rain chances to 20-30 percent.

- Mike Clay, chief meteorologist, Bay News 9

Weather: Afternoon showers possible, high around 87 degrees

Afternoon showers and thunderstorms, some bringing localized mayhem with strong winds, rain and large hail, are forecast to pass through the area again this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Otherwise, it's expected to be mostly cloudy, with a high near 87 degrees.

Weather: Strong afternoon storms possible; high near 86

It will seem summerish, with showers and thunderstorms -- some potentially strong -- developing at mid afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Most of the storms should be concentrated east of Tampa Bay, but some late developers near the coast could bring a deluge of rain and damaging hail. Heavy lightning is also possible.

Weather: More strong storms moving through the area

Strong storms and pea-size hail are threatening parts of Pasco, Citrus, Hernando and Hillsborough counties this evening, according to Bay News 9 meteorologist Mike Clay. There already have been reports of about a half-inch of hail in Pasco.

"The biggest threat is lightning on a holiday afternoon," Clay said.

Thunderstorms are not expected to clear until about sundown, Clay said. Pinellas saw some storms earlier today but is now in the clear.

A rainfall record may be set in the Tampa Bay area Saturday

Today is the 11th day in a row for measurable rain in the Tampa Bay area, according to Bay News 9 meteorologist Mike Clay, and Saturday will almost certainly be day 12.

Bay News 9 meteorologists are predicting a 70 per cent chance of rain again for tomorrow. A moist and unstable air mass remains over our the region.

On Saturday thunderstorms will form rapidly with daytime heating. Expect heavy rainfall.

Computer models are suggesting several more inches of rain could fall through the weekend and with the ground already saturated, there is the potential for localized flooding.

-- Times Staff

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Another day closer to a rain record; weekend looks sketchy until Memorial Day

ABOVE, LEFT: A fallen tree rests on a mobile home this morning in Seffner. [SKIP O'ROURKE | Times]

Hope you're sitting down ... it's going to rain again.

Or so says the National Weather Service, and its been right every day since May 12, when the prerainy-season monsoon began.

Showers and thunderstorms are deemed "likely" today, mainly this afternoon, which has been the recent pattern. Official precipitation chances are at 70 percent. Otherwise, it will be mostly cloudy with a high of 85 degrees.

Rain chances dip to 50 percent tonight, with more storms in the area and lows around 70 degrees.
Another inch of rain is possible today. Some storms could yield hail.

Thunderstorms pound Tampa Bay area

The thunderstorms expected all day rolled over parts of Tampa Bay this afternoon, bringing heavy rainfall, power outages and winds up to 37 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

About 200 customers in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties have lost power, said Progress Energy spokesman Tim Leljedal.

"It's scattered, weather-related outages," Leljedal said. "We have crews working diligently to restore power."

The lights at Tropicana Field also went out briefly, but the Rays game is back on.

Most of the heavy rainfall will move out in the next hour, said meteorologist John McMichael. There is, however, a second system of showers that could hit Pinellas before the night is out. That system was moving north and was over Sarasota County early this evening.

This is the 10th consecutive day of rain in the area. Scattered thunderstorms are expected throughout the Memorial Day weekend.

Brian McClure, a Bay News 9 meteorologist, said the thunderstorms were mostly in Pinellas and Manatee counties, and were expected to move to parts of Hillsborough County.

"We could get another quick half inch to an inch easily," McClure said.