Tampa Bay weather cools off as storms leave and winds remain

The last of the recent bout of strong storms moved through the Tampa Bay area early Sunday, with partly cloudy skies and windy conditions remaining after the cancellation of night one of the 2023 Gasparilla Music Festival Saturday.

A high surf advisory and a high rip current risk notice remain in place for Gulf Coast beaches stretching from Lee County up through coastal Hillsborough, according to the National Weather Service.

Early morning storms Sunday brought a slight cold front, according to Spectrum Bay News 9 meteorologist Josh Linker, dropping temperatures below normal to a high of 79. Temperatures are expected to top out in the low 80s Monday and Tuesday.

Swirling winds and rain blew through parts of the region Saturday, with forecasters announcing a tornado watch as a line of storms cut toward Florida’s Gulf Coast on Saturday afternoon. They warned of hail and gusts of wind up to 70 mph.

A tornado watch, which means conditions are conducive for tornadoes to form, was lifted by 9 p.m. Saturday. A subsequent tornado watch was issued for the area Sunday until 2 p.m. but the watch was cancelled Sunday morning.

Saturday’s storms forced the Gasparilla Music Festival in Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park to close, according to the event’s Twitter account.

The festival grounds suffered some damage, according to event organizers, but gates are scheduled to open 1 p.m. Sunday. Saturday ticket holders are allowed to uses their tickets Sunday.