The National Hurricane Center is monitoring an area of unsettled weather in the Atlantic that has a small chance of development but could still make for a wet weekend across Florida.
Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center say the system was located about 200 miles northeast of the Bahamas as of Thursday morning and drifting west toward Florida.
It has a 20 percent chance of further development in the next five days as it approaches Florida on Friday and heads toward the eastern Gulf of Mexico, according to the hurricane center.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network meteorologist Ray Hawthorne said the system “is likely to lead to another round of storms over the Florida peninsula this weekend.”
It would contribute to the numerous strong afternoon showers and thunderstorms that have moved west into the greater Tampa Bay region this week.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service say those evening storms will continue through Friday, with increased moisture, heavy rains and minor flooding possible as the system approaches the state on Saturday.
The region can expect multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms through Monday, with drier air arriving by mid-week with winds shifting from the northeast.
Forecasters with the hurricane center continue to monitor an area of low pressure that is expected to bring rain to the Carolinas, and another tropical wave that could develop as it moves off the coast of Africa this weekend.
And Tropical Storms Rene and Paulette will remain in the open Atlantic through early next week, forecasters said.
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