Tampa Bay’s hottest days of the year likely ahead of St. Patrick’s Day weekend
The Tampa Bay area is likely to experience some of the hottest days of the year so far ahead of St. Patrick’s Day festivities this weekend.
Thursday and Friday will be the warmest days of the week, when temperatures will reach the mid to high 80s. The National Weather Service said more inland areas could flirt with 90 degree temperatures.
Forecasters expect Friday will be the hottest day of the week (and possibly of the year so far), when areas like Tampa and Lakeland will reach 88 degrees. Should the mercury climb that high in Tampa, Friday’s temperatures could tie the record set previously on that day in 1897, weather service data shows.
The expected high temperatures are five to 10 degrees above average for this time of year, according to the weather service.
Ross Giarratana, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay Office, said the heat will be spurred on by less sea breeze in the area over the next couple of days.
However, by Saturday, the day the City of Tampa puts on the River O’ Green Fest (when the city dyes the Hillsborough River green) the sea breeze will likely return, helping to tamp down scorching temperatures. Saturday and Sunday will be in the mid to low 80s across the area.
“With Spring Break and St. Patrick’s Day, a lot of people could be here visiting from up north and they haven’t experienced these temperatures in quite some time,” Giarratana said. “It’s always good to stay hydrated, seek shade whenever possible ... practice common heat safety.”
Giarratana said some relief from the toasty temperatures is in store for early next week, when a cold front will push down to Tampa Bay. The front will bring a higher chance of rain but will drop temperatures into the low to mid 70s.
March is a transitional month, when Tampa Bay has some of the last cold fronts of the season. The average temperature for this time of the year is around 77 degrees in Tampa.
