Rain chances increasing for Tampa Bay area as tropical moisture moves over Florida. Here's the timeline

Tampa weather | Thursday morning forecast

FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg says deep tropical moisture will bring more showers and storms to the Tampa Bay area, with heavy rain expected during the evening hours.

TAMPA, Fla. - Thursday could be an active day for rain and storms in the Tampa Bay area, especially during the later hours, and it comes as deep tropical moisture moves toward Florida.

Thursday weather forecast

FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg says rain coverage will increase to about 60-70% on Thursday, with much of the wet weather coming during the evening and nighttime hours.

Osterberg says that while tropical activity is picking up, this particular moisture that's bringing more rain over the next few days is not related to any tropical system.

"There's a lot of deep tropical moisture over the Bahamas," Osterberg said. "And that moisture is going to move our way… We have a lot of moisture in the atmosphere. Our cup is full. We're just going to add more water to that same full cup and it's going to overflow, and that overflow is going to be the rainfall."

Rain chances will stay at about 70% at least through Saturday, according to Osterberg, before a gradual drop in coverage next week.

Rain chances will remain elevated through this weekend, meteorologists say.

Activity in the tropics

The National Hurricane Center is watching multiple areas in the Atlantic for possible development, but there is no imminent threat to the U.S.

Tropical Storm Dexter continues to move east-northeast over the Atlantic, away from land.

Tropical Storm Dexter continues to move over open water.

Meanwhile, an area dubbed Invest 96L has a 60% chance of development in the next seven days and is expected to move over the central Atlantic, according to the NHC.

Tropical activity is picking up, but there's no imminent threat to the U.S.

The NHC is giving another weak area of low pressure off the southeastern U.S. coast a 30% chance of development.

"Even if it does develop, it's probably not going to happen until it's well east of the Carolinas and north of Bermuda, and that puts it out of play for everybody," Osterberg said.