SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – A high pressure system to the north will direct our winds from the east today, putting us in a current that will bring thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening. The storms will start inland, move toward the coast in the evening, and dissipate in the Gulf waters. We can expect this pattern to continue over the next few days.

By the weekend, we will see a 180-degree reversal of this pattern as winds shift to the west or southwest. This change will cause showers to form near the coast in the mornings and move inland in the afternoons. The southwest wind will also bring higher humidity and keep the afternoons hot, leading to high heat index values. It is possible that drier air will move in by Sunday, which could help moderate humidity.

Now that Labor Day is over and the unofficial end of summer is behind us, let’s take a quick look back. Temperatures were highest in the western part of the country, but overall the national average was 1.74 degrees above the 30-year average. The summer monsoon over Florida will continue to bring additional precipitation to the Suncoast, where a total of more than 21 inches more than normal has accumulated so far thanks to several big rainstorms.

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