SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (WINK) — The Weather Authority is closely monitoring a disturbance sitting just offshore of Southwest Florida in the Gulf.
Friday
As of the 8pm Friday Advisory from the National Hurricane Center, this disturbance has a 10% chance of tropical development over the next 48 hours and a 30% chance over the next seven days as it drifts towards the northwest, away from Southwest Florida.
Saturday
Regardless of tropical development, Southwest Florida can expect scattered storms this weekend with breezy conditions at times. Scattered storms will be possible at any time of the day, but will not be widespread all day. Plenty of gaps in the rain coverage at times for outdoor plans.
Sunday
Rain coverage sits slightly higher on Saturday (60%) compared to Sunday (50%). Afternoon high temperatures on both days will reach the upper 80s to lower 90s. Wind gusts will reach in excess of 20 to 25mph in the afternoon hours, especially along the coast. You can expect a partly to mostly cloudy sky throughout the weekend.
The Weather Authority is tracking lower rain chances for the middle of next week. You can find the latest updates on TV on WINK News.
Tropical Weather Outlook
1. Eastern Tropical Atlantic: A broad area of low pressure, associated with a tropical wave and located a couple of hundred miles southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands, continues to produce disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Development, if any, should be slow to occur during the next day or so while the system moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph. By this weekend, the system is forecast to move into a hostile environment, and further development is not expected.
Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent.Formation chance through 7 days…low…10 percent.
2. Northeastern Gulf of America and Offshore of the Southeastern U.S.: An area of low pressure is forecast to form this weekend over the northeastern Gulf of America. Some gradual development of this system is possible while it moves slowly northeastward over the northeastern Gulf and near the coast of the southeastern United States early next week. Regardless of development, this system will influence our pattern here in Southwest Florida with some breezy afternoons and unsettled weather through early next week.
Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent.Formation chance through 7 days…low…20 percent.