Forecasters eye a rainy week for Florida as tropical system develops

Florida’s east coast will likely be in for a spell of rain this week as a potential tropical storm approaches. How much the storm will affect the Tampa Bay region is still unclear.

Forecasters are watching an area of low pressure develop in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. As of Sunday afternoon, that area was about 200 miles north of Puerto Rico, producing what the National Hurricane Center called a large patch of disorganized showers and thunderstorms.

The system is on a northwestward track, forecasters said. They noted conditions were conducive for further storm development and said they believe a subtropical or tropical storm will likely form in the next day or so.

The storm will then turn west, according to the latest hurricane center update, and potentially continue to develop.

As the storm system gathers, forecasters said, there will be higher risks along Florida’s Atlantic coast of flooding, tropical storm-force winds (39 to 73 mph winds), rough surf, beach erosion and plenty of rain.

This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.