Tampa Bay Weather: Warm Weekend, Rain, and Cold Snap Ahead

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay residents can expect a rollercoaster of weather conditions this weekend and into next week, with warm temperatures, rain, and a significant cooldown on the horizon, according to FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg.

Friday will see highs in the mid-to-upper 60s with variable cloud cover, remaining rain-free. Saturday is forecast to be the warmest day of the week, with temperatures climbing into the low-to-mid 70s. The mild and breezy conditions will be ideal for the Gasparilla Children’s Parade in Tampa.

However, the warmup will be short-lived. A southward wind shift will bring higher temperatures Saturday, but Sunday will usher in a line of rain and storms. “I don’t think it’s just going to speed on through,” Osterberg said. “It’s going to take its sweet time, so I don’t think Sunday’s going to be that great a day. We’re going to have a lot of cloud cover, some showers, and maybe some rumbles of thunder.”

By Monday, colder air will return, with highs in the 50s and lows dropping into the 30s by Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Freezing temperatures are possible in northern zones. Another disturbance is expected to move across the Gulf on Tuesday, potentially bringing heavy rain to the Bay Area through Wednesday.

Osterberg noted that the same disturbance could produce snow or sleet in parts of the Panhandle. “That’s a possibility. Not a probability – a possibility,” he said. As of Friday, snow is not forecast for Central Florida, including the Tampa Bay area.

Residents should prepare for fluctuating conditions, including multiple rainy days and a significant temperature drop next week.