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Tampa Bay severe weather threat: Damaging winds, isolated tornadoes possible

Damaging winds and a tornado or two cannot be ruled out as storms roll across Florida this evening.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After a week filled with sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures, a developing storm system will bring the threat of severe weather Saturday to portions of Tampa Bay.

Areas along and south of the Interstate 4 corridor will have a mix of sun and clouds Saturday morning but as temperatures begin to rise, the warmth will help fuel showers and storms associated with a secondary low-pressure system developing along the cold front. 

A line of showers and storms looks to develop and sweep east across the northern part of the region through the mid to late-afternoon hours as this low-pressure system tracks to the northeast. 

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Storms north of the I-4 corridor will have a greater chance of being on the strong to severe side.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Damaging winds will be the primary concern, but a small strip from the Nature Coast across the state toward Daytona Beach could also see a tornado or two. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted this area as having a "slight" (2 on a 0-5 scale) of severe weather. 

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

This initial round of storms will clear out before dinner, but a few tailing showers will remain possible into Saturday night. A few isolated showers will be possible into early Sunday morning, but as the winds shift to the west-northwest, drier and cooler air will begin to move in. 

This shift in flow will bring back the sunshine but also usher in cooler and even windier conditions through the day on Sunday.

Saturday will already be a little breezy with southerly winds from 10-20 mph and gusts to 30 mph, but Sunday will be even windier. As the new air mass arrives, winds will increase to around 20 mph with gusts of around 35 mph. Some wind gusts along the coast could even top out around 40 mph.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

The increasing winds on Sunday will also come with decreasing temperatures as the cooler air spills in through what is typically the heat of the day. Instead of afternoon high temperatures, Sunday will likely see its high of 66 degrees around lunchtime with gradually cooling temperatures through the afternoon.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Monday will get off to a cool start but expect gradually warming temperatures through the week with highs returning to the 80s by Wednesday.

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