Credit: Photo via NHC

Credit: Photo via NHC

Tropical Storm Nestor has yet to form, but the disturbance is still moving northeast and will likely bring heavy rain and wind gusts to the Tampa Bay area this weekend.

According to the 11 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center, the fast-moving “Potential Tropical Cyclone 16” is currently about 230 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, and now has sustained maximum winds of  60 mph.

The system lacks the organization to be classified as a tropical storm, but the storm does have a 90% chance of development over the next 48 hours as it moves towards Florida’s Panhandle. 

As of now, “life-threatening” storm surge and tropical storm force winds are expected along Florida’s Gulf coast starting Friday night and going into Saturday, says the NHC. Areas of Pinellas County and northward are under a storm surge warning, specifically from Indian Pass to Clearwater Beach, where coastal flooding of  2 to 5 feet above normal is possible. 

Credit: Photo via NHC

The entire Tampa Bay region can expect up to 2 to 4 inches of rain, with the heaviest downfalls late Friday and early Saturday. 

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Mississippi-Alabama border to Yankeetown Florida, and from Grand Isle Louisiana to the Mouth of the Pearl River.

Florida Gov. Ron Desantis took to Twitter yesterday to remind Florida residents to take this system seriously. “Forecasts are predicting heavy rainfall, gusty winds, isolated tornadoes & coastal flooding across NW Florida this weekend. Residents should prepare now for the chance of flooding & power disruption,” said DeSantis. 


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This article appears in Oct 17-24, 2019.

Colin Wolf has been working with weekly newspapers since 2007 and has been the Digital Editor for Creative Loafing Tampa since 2019. He is also the Director of Digital Content Strategy for CL's parent...