A ridge of high pressure that has settled in the western Atlantic will provide Tampa Bay with drier, more stable weather for the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.

Clear skies and lots of sunshine will characterize the morning weather pattern with a slight chance of scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms appearing late in the afternoon to evening.

EXTENDED FORECAST: The 10-day outlook for the Tampa Bay area

Thursday’s skies will be mostly sunny with afternoon temperatures rising to around 93 and a 30 percent chance of rain. Showers are expected to be pushed inland from the Gulf of Mexico but only make it to the I-75 corridor, according to forecasters. Some of those scattered showers could last through the first half of the overnight but will recede into the gulf by midnight.

The stretch of heat and sunshine will continue through the weekend with the chance of late afternoon showers from 20-30 percent through the day.

Rain chances are expected to increase by early next week, forecasters said. Afternoon highs will be in the lower 90s and overnight lows are in the upper 70s.

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