Storms in Tampa Bay lead to watches, warnings and so far leave minor damage (2024)

Severe weather rolled into the Tampa Bay area Thursday afternoon, leading to a series of weather watches and warnings, and leaving — as of early evening — only minor damage behind.

Initial damage assessments were still underway, but early reports are that a funnel cloud was spotted in New Port Richey, winds gusted up to 60 mph in some areas, at least two homes in Pinellas County were damaged by lightning, and some flooding was reported in northern areas of Tampa Bay.

Meanwhile, a coastal flooding warning remained in effect until 8 p.m.

Forecasters had placed all of Tampa Bay under a “slight” risk of severe weather Thursday. A slight risk is the second level on a scale of 1 to 5, with “marginal” being the lowest chance of severe weather and “high” being the greatest chance, according to the weather service’s Storm Prediction Center.

The harsh rain and winds stemmed from a weather system that battered parts of the South on Wednesday from Texas to the Florida Panhandle.

The weather service on Thursday morning placed the Tampa Bay area and much of north central Florida under a tornado watch until 3 p.m., which meant conditions were favorable for tornadoes to develop. A tornado warning, several of which were issued across the area Thursday, means a tornado has been sighted or there is an indication of one on a weather radar.

Here’s a review of how the weather developed during the day.

3 p.m. A survey of damage

Reports of damage, while still being assessed, were minimal across Tampa Bay, according to the National Weather Service.

Several areas were under a tornado watch Thursday afternoon, though there were no official reports of a tornado. However, a funnel cloud was spotted around 12:30 p.m. in New Port Richey, according to the weather service.

Gusty winds also blew through the area Thursday afternoon, with winds nearing 60 mph at Tampa International Airport.

In Pinellas County, dispatchers received 911 calls — one in St. Petersburg and another in Treasure Island — for residential fires caused by lightning strikes, according to the weather service.

In Clearwater, water levels were falling. A tidal gauge in Clearwater showed that water levels had peaked at 2.6 feet around 12:30 p.m., just near minor flooding.

In St. Petersburg, water levels were approaching high tide. Around 3 p.m. water levels were nearing 2 feet. Across the Bay in Tampa, water levels were also nearing high tide, which was set for around 4 p.m. and the tide was reaching around 2 feet.

Minor flooding in St. Petersburg and Tampa occur at slightly above 2½ feet.

2:45 p.m. Tarpon Springs flooded

Photos by Tampa Bay Times photographer Chris Urso show flooding ankle deep in parts of the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs. Areas of higher water made some roads impassable.

Around the area, the weather service reported flooding at the Fred Howard Park parking lot, a beach in Tarpon Springs. Just a few miles north near U.S. 19 North and Green Key Road in New Port Richey, flooding reached up to a foot, according to the weather service.

1:35 p.m. Flooding at Hudson Beach

Spectrum Bay News 9 reporter Calvin Lewis posted to social media video of Hudson Beach flooded. Lewis reported that a few streets nearby were also under water.

1:26 p.m. Large tornado spotted in St. Augustine

Matt Devitt, a meteorologist from South Florida, posted a video sent to him showing a large tornado in the World Golf Village area of St. Augustine.

While a number of tornado warnings were in place for areas in Tampa Bay, there have been no official reports of tornadoes.

1:21 p.m. Outages across Tampa Bay

Amid gusty winds and tornado warnings , electric companies began reporting outages.

Tampa Electric Co. reported more than 3,000 customers were without power in Hillsborough and portions of Pasco County. At least 1,000 customers were without power in the Temple Terrace area.

A power outage map from Duke Energy showed more than 1,000 customers had no power. A large portion was concentrated in the New Port Richey and Port Richey areas of Pasco County.

1:26 p.m. Blustering winds in Pinellas County

Video feed from Treasure Island, a coastal town in Pinellas County, showed swirling winds and thick sheets of rain in portions of the town just before 1 p.m.

Tampa International Airport recorded wind gusts up to 43 mph at 1 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

12: 58 p.m. Tornado warning for Temple Terrace

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Temple Terrace, an unincorporated area of Hillsborough County, until 1:15 p.m.

12:56 p.m. A look at tides

Coastal areas of Tampa Bay are under a coastal flood warning until 8 p.m., when forecasters said up to 4 feet of flooding is possible.

Rick Davis, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Tampa Bay office, told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday that should storms arrive at lower tide, flooding may not be as bad. If storms line up with high tide later Thursday afternoon, flooding could be worse.

In Clearwater, the next highest tide is expected at just after 1 p.m. Observations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show water levels had reached just under 2½ feet before 1 p.m.

In St. Petersburg, high tide is set for just before 4 p.m. Projected tides from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show tides peaking at just above 2½ feet. The current water levels were slightly above 1 foot.

12:49 p.m. Tornado warning for portions of Hillsborough County

The National Weather Service showed a possible tornado approaching near Citrus Park and Tampa. The warning remains in effect until 1 p.m.

12:45 p.m. Whipping winds

The National Weather Service told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday that wind gusts up to 70 mph were possible with the severe weather.

According to Spectrum Bay News 9, its Klystron 9 radar showed strong winds in Pinellas County, up to 60 mph, were possible. In Seminole, the line of storms blew winds up to 52 mph, Bay News 9 reported.

At Tampa International Airport, gusts of up to 43 mph were observed just after noon, according to the weather service.

12:17 Northern Pinellas under tornado warning

Much of northern Pinellas, from Indian Rocks Beach up to Palm Harbor, are under a tornado warning until 12:45 p.m.

12:09 Tornado warning in portions of Pasco

The National Weather Service placed portions of Pasco County, including New Port Richey up to Bayonet Point, under a tornado warning.

Forecasters said the warning will last until 12:30 p.m.