Storms likely to push spring break inside

Heavy rain is possible as two fronts move through and bring cooler weather by Monday.

Unfortunately for spring breakers, the postcard-perfect sunny weather is coming to an end.

Thunderstorms are likely this morning and over the weekend, and an approaching cold front should make next week cooler.

Friday may be spring breakers' last chance to get a tan. Saturday could be sunny for a while, too, though rain is likely Saturday night.

Two different weather systems, one following another, have the potential to create heavy rain locally over the next four days, forecasters said.

A large cluster of showers and thunderstorms coming out of the Gulf of Mexico is expected to move slowly over the Tampa Bay area this morning and could drop rain over much of the region, Alsheimer said. Rain is likely along the coast in the morning and in the interior later in the day.

Friday and Saturday should be mostly sunny with a few isolated afternoon showers.

"It looks like things will become more interesting Saturday night," Alsheimer said.

A second round of showers and storms is expected sometime Saturday night or early Sunday, although it's too early to say when they might appear.

"It could shift six to 12 hours either way," Alsheimer said.

The rains could linger into Sunday. After the rain, a cold front will arrive.

By Monday, the weather should be dry, breezy and slightly cooler than normal for late March.

"It won't be super-cold," Alsheimer said, "but it'll be the coolest we've been in a while."

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