By Danny Valentine, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The unseasonably warm weather continued Wednesday, breaking a 64-year-old temperature record before the first significant showers in weeks dropped as much as 4 inches of rain later in the evening.
More rain is forecast today, with possibly heavy showers expected to hit the region late Thursday afternoon into the evening, said Todd Barron of the National Weather Service.
Temperatures are expected to approach record levels again today, reaching the mid to upper 80s along the coast and the 90s inland. Wednesday's high of 88 eclipsed the record for March 21: 87 degrees set in 1948. Today's record is 88.
Wednesday's heavy rainfall was the first good drenching since mid February, said Bay News 9 Meteorologist Juli Marquez.
There were reports of more than 4 inches in parts of Hillsborough County, which bore the brunt of the storms. Carrollwood and Gibsonton each netted about 3 inches, said Josh Linker, a Bay News 9 meteorologist. Mango also got wet, with 1 1/2 inches of rain. St. Petersburg only received a trace amount of rain.
The weekend also calls for more rain and heat, though temperatures should be slightly lower.
There's a chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday as temperatures stay in the mid 80s.
Showers and thunderstorms are possible on Saturday and Sunday as the rain system pushes out of the area. Temperatures are forecast in the low to mid 80s.