Rain & storms expected Thursday in Tampa Bay area, more heat on tap this weekend

Tampa weather | Thursday forecast

FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg says conditions will be hot and humid on Thursday with a 60% coverage of rain in the evening. Rain chances will go down in time for the weekend.

TAMPA, Fla. - Rain and storm chances will remain fairly high in the Tampa Bay area on Thursday, then it's all about the heat and humidity as we approach the weekend.

Thursday weather forecast

What's next:

FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg says temperatures will rise quickly on Thursday, with high humidity allowing the index to reach 100 degrees in many areas – even along the coast.

The heat index could top 100 degrees in many areas on Thursday, meteorologists say.

Scattered showers and storms will then move through the region in the late afternoon and evening hours, with 60% coverage.

"After this rain moves through, our rain chances are going to drop," Osterberg said. "Tomorrow, they're going to drop in half to 30% – and when you do that, the heat's going up."

Rain chances will drop in the coming days, meteorologists say.

What to expect this weekend

FOX 13 meteorologists say the Bay Area will feel the heat on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with afternoon highs climbing into the mid-90s in Tampa while rain chances stay at just 30%.

Rain coverage will slowly creep back up next week, reaching about 50% by next Wednesday.

Rain chances will drop and temperatures will rise in the coming days, meteorologists say.

Invest 93L

The area of low pressure dubbed Invest 93L, which was the catalyst for heavy rain in the Bay Area earlier this week, is now bringing downpours to Louisiana after moving west along the Gulf Coast.

While the National Hurricane Center has dropped Invest 93L's chances of development to 30% because of increased land interaction, heavy rainfall and flash flooding remain the primary threats.

The National Hurricane Center has dropped Invest 93L's chance of development to 30%.