Hurricane Center watching low in Gulf

Posted Jun 23, 2009 by TBO.com

Updated Jun 23, 2009 at 01:23 PM

The National Hurricane Center is keeping an eye on an area of low pressure in the far western Gulf of Mexico, but forecasters don’t see a huge chance of it developing.

It’s tucked fairly close to the east coast of Mexico and is expected to move to the northwest, which would put it over land fairly soon. The hurricane center says the rain and thunderstorms remain fairly disorganized. Plus, there’s a huge dome of high pressure over the central part of the United States that could hamper any development.

The hurricane center gives the low pressure area a less than 30 percent chance of becoming a tropical storm during the next two days, although it probably will pour heavy rain over parts of Mexico.

On the other side of Mexico, the first storm of the eastern Pacific season, Andres, is still forecast to become a hurricane, though briefly. The forecasters don’t expect it to hit land, but it could skirt close to the coast before heading west and out to sea.

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Tuesday could be race between heat, clouds

Posted Jun 22, 2009 by TBO.com

Updated Jun 22, 2009 at 02:09 PM

Though forecasters expect some afternoon rains Tuesday could bring an end to the series of triple-digit heat index temperatures we’re seeing, there may be one more afternoon of silting in store. Part of the weather service outlook still holds potential for another afternoon that will feel like 105 degrees or so.

That’s because the forecast includes a chance for less cloud cover during the heat of the afternoon when temperatures are highest. If the clouds begin to vanish, then the heat index has a good chance of spiking beginning in the early afternoon and hitting a peak about 4 p.m. Clouds could start building back around dark, but by then things will be cooling and it won’t matter much.

A lot depends on whether the predicted 50 percent of rain comes through to drop temperatures and how long the clouds that begin building just after midnight last into the day.

At least Tuesday may start in the 70s instead of lows in the 80s that appeared the last few mornings.

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How hot was it?

Posted Jun 22, 2009 by TBO.com

Updated Jun 22, 2009 at 08:22 AM

The weather service says today should be the last in the string of dangerously high heat index readings as high pressure may finally be shoved aside as early as Tuesday, allowing some clouds and afternoon rain.

Until then, though, we could face a repeat of Sunday’s muggy conditions that made even a short walk like a trip through a steam bath.

At 4 p.m. Sunday, here’s a sampling of heat index readings from around the Tampa Bay area. Remember, these are in the shade. You can add up to 15 degrees if you’re in direct sunlight.

Tampa International Airport: 104

MacDill Air Force Base: 107

Clearwater: 108

St. Petersburg: 104

Plant City: 105

Brooksville: 105

Peter O. Knight Airport: 115

The weather service says Peter O. Knight Airport produces exceptionally high readings. That 4 p.m. mark was the highest in the state.

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Expect hot afternoons this week in Tampa Bay area

Posted Jun 10, 2009 by TBO.com

Updated Jun 10, 2009 at 08:34 AM

Today will show us what Florida would be like without our afternoon rains, and it really isn’t nice weather. Think hot mixed with muggy.

High pressure is in control of our weather through the rest of the week, and that means little chance for afternoon thunderstorms or even showers. The dry air higher in the atmosphere that comes with high pressure should mean few clouds.

Unfortunately, that dry air isn’t down here where we walk around. There’s plenty of humidity where we are, with dew points in the middle 70s.

The sun will cook all afternoon, and the weather service says the heat index could range from 97 to 102 through the workweek.

The humidity also means things don’t cool much during the night. At 1 a.m., the temperature at Tampa International Airport was still 79 degrees, and it only dropped a couple more degrees before dawn.

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Low in Gulf no longer concern

Posted Jun 9, 2009 by TBO.com

Updated Jun 9, 2009 at 08:13 AM

Not that forecasters at the National Hurricane Center were overly worried about it, but they are no longer watching an area of low pressure that hovered in the western end of the Caribbean Sea this week.

The hurricane center gave it a low probability, which means 30 percent or less, of turning into anything tropical. Still, in June, tropical storms that form are likely to emerge from the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico.

The low pressure area is now dumping rain over parts of Central America, especially Nicaragua.

So for the next two days, forecasters don’t expect anything to form in the tropics.

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