The line of storms that spread rain across Pasco and Hernando counties is moving toward the Tampa Bay area and will arrive by noon, the National Weather Service says.

The band of rain is heading from the Gulf of Mexico toward the coast at 35 mph. The weather service says folks can expect torrential rain from these storms and wind gusts up to 40 mph. The rain bands are moving east.

Some of the storm clusters are dropping more than an inch of rain an hour. Lightning detection networks show frequent lightning strikes just offshore from Pinellas County. A large cell is heading toward Clearwater; another is moving over Pasco County.

This rain will last off and on through the afternoon and maybe into the evening.

Rain this morning delayed the start of 2008 Big East Baseball Championship scheduled to be played at Bright House Field. If the grounds crew can lift the tarp, the first game of the tournament can start about 40 minutes after the tarp is lifted.

The first game scheduled is between No. 5 seed, Seton Hall, and No. 4 seed, Louisville. If the game can start, the rest of the day’s schedule can be adjusted.

Check the Big East website for updates

The storms are from the same front that has parked over Central Florida since Monday, only it shifted a bit farther north, bringing the heavier rain toward the Tampa Bay area.

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