The National Weather Service says a line of strong thunderstorms have formed in the Gulf of Mexico, and are threatening the entire Tampa Bay region — including Pasco and Hillsborough counties — until 8 p.m.
Meteorologists with the weather service detected the storms just after 2 p.m. Friday along a line extending from Honeymoon Island near Palm Harbor to Longboat Key. The system was moving northeast at 30 mph, and has gusty winds of 45 to 55 mph that can cause unsecured object to blow around, snap tree limbs and cause power outages.
Torrential rains will reduce visibility to near zero, and will cause water ponding on roadways, the weather service said.
The watch also is for Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Lake, Manatee, Polk, Pinellas, Sarasota and Sumter counties.
UPDATE: The watch has been lifted.
