Rain Takes a Break, Heat Doesn't

We soaked for most of the past week, now it’s time to steam.

The constant parade of storms that dropped a May’s worth of rain over most places in Pasco and northeast Hillsborough last week is gone, leaving a beating sun that will make most places away from the coast feel like close to 100 degrees over the next few days.

Temperatures through the week will be in the low 90s away from the coast. Afternoons in the first week of June typically average 89 to 90 degrees.

New Port Richey may get a slight break with highs hitting the upper 80, the National Weather Service said.

But the combination of temperatures and humidity will push the heat index for Land O’ Lakes and northeast Hillsborough well into the upper 90s through Friday though it will nudge down slightly from the triple digit neighborhood as the week goes on.

The cloying humidity is what’s driving up the “feels like” temperature, said Richard Rude, weather service meteorologist in Ruskin.

There also won’t be much cooling from afternoon thunderstorms through Wednesday. Any that show up will likely form inland with a 30 percent chance for rain everyplace except coastal areas where it’s about 20 percent.

Things will change slightly by Wednesday when a minor disturbance high in the atmosphere moves in and pushes up rain chances, Rude said.

Coastal areas such as New Port Richey have a slightly better possibility of seeing some morning rain on Wednesday before the action moves inland.

Land O’ Lakes, Temple Terrace, Wesley Chapel, Carrollwood and Westchase stand the most chance of seeing some rain in the late morning and early afternoon before some storms possibly drift back toward the coast in the late afternoon.

Some stray thunderstorms could last into the early evening over the entire area.

The weather service puts the rain chances north of Interstate 4 at 40 percent and 30 percent south of the interstate corridor. The best chance for the heavier rain will be away from the coast, Rude said.