A cold front passes through the Suncoast tonight, and it leaves behind exactly what we’ve been waiting for: cooler, drier air and sunshine for the new week. Sunday and Monday bring mostly sunny skies, highs in the upper 70s to near 80, and near-zero rain chances. It’s the kind of weekend made for a walk along the Bayfront, a morning at the farmers market, or a lazy afternoon on the patio.
There’s one catch, and it’s a big one for boaters. A stalled low-pressure area east of the Carolinas is driving northeasterly wind gusts up to 30 mph, and that has the Gulf churned up and dangerous. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect until 3 a.m. Tuesday, and Sunday and Monday are First Alert Weather Days on the water. Even kayaks and paddleboards should stay ashore. On land, take a few minutes to secure patio furniture and anything else the wind can grab.
Winds ease Tuesday with gusts around 20 mph, and highs climb into the upper 80s before settling into a long stretch of mostly sunny, low-80s weather through the weekend. The tropics are worth a glance but not a worry: the National Hurricane Center is watching an area east of the Carolinas with a 20% chance of development over seven days, and there’s no imminent threat to the Suncoast. What are your plans for the sunny days ahead?
