TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)— A wetter and more unsettled pattern will continue across the Tampa Bay area through the weekend and into early next week. Waves of showers and thunderstorms may arrive at almost any time, bringing pockets of heavy rain, frequent lightning and strong, gusty winds.

An upper-level low and developing surface low over the eastern Gulf of Mexico will slowly move northeast through the weekend. This setup makes the exact timing of each round difficult to predict, so it will not rain continuously, but storms will be possible outside the typical afternoon and evening window.

The heaviest rain is expected near the coast, where totals through early next week could reach around 6 inches. Some locations may receive even more if storms repeatedly move over the same areas. This could produce nuisance or minor flooding, especially in low-lying and poorly drained locations.

There is still uncertainty in the rainfall forecast. Some of the heavier bands could develop farther west over the Gulf, which would reduce totals along the coast.

Temperatures will be held down slightly by the additional clouds and rain. Saturday’s highs are forecast to reach the upper 80s near Tampa and St. Petersburg, around 90 in Sarasota and the lower 90s farther inland. Overnight lows will range from the lower and middle 70s inland to the upper 70s near the coast.

The National Weather Service expects a low, 30% chance that a tropical system could form over the eastern Gulf during the next seven days. Regardless of development, the main local impacts will be rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms. Boaters should also be prepared for locally higher winds and seas near storms.

The unsettled system should begin lifting away and weakening around the middle of next week. Rain chances will then return to a more typical summertime pattern, with storms driven primarily by daytime heating and the sea breezes.

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