Good evening, Tampa Bay. We're wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook.

Your Weather Planner

With the slightly lower humidity, lows on Wednesday morning will range from the mid to upper 60s north to mid 70s around Tampa Bay.

Mostly sunny skies and dry air will allow temperatures to warm into the low to mid 90s.

The sea breeze will form and keep coastal spots cooler in the afternoon

A spotty shower is possible late in the day but the rain chance is less than 10%.

High: 94 Low: 74 Rain Coverage: <10%

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Today's Big Stories

1. Gun thefts continue to soar in Bay area, as well as nationally
The number of guns being stolen from cars is three times what it was 10 years ago, according to a new report by Everytown Research, a gun safety advocacy group.  

2. Former USF football player critically injured in shooting, brother killed
Former University of South Florida football player Brian Battie remains critically injured after a weekend shooting in Sarasota that killed his brother.

3. Trump trial updates: Defense rests its case without ex-president testifying
The defense in Donald Trump's hush money trial just rested without calling the former president as a witness. Judge Juan Merchan adjourned proceedings until next week.

4. Biden releasing 1 million barrels of gasoline from reserve to lower prices
The Biden administration said Tuesday that it is releasing 1 million barrels of gasoline from a Northeast reserve established after Superstorm Sandy in a bid to lower prices at the pump this summer.

5. U.N. halts all food distribution in Rafah after running out of supplies
The United Nations says it has suspended food distribution in the southern Gaza city of Rafah due to lack of supplies and insecurity. It also said no aid trucks entered via a pier set up by the U.S. for sea deliveries for the past two days.

6. High prices are a top financial concern, Fed household survey says
Americans are struggling as prices for goods of all kinds remain stubbornly high, according to the Federal Reserve Board’s new Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2023 report.

7. FWC: Share the shore with nesting turtles and shorebirds Memorial Day weekend
Nesting season is underway at Florida beaches, and FWC is asking Floridians and visitors to help keep turtles and birds safe by giving them space, removing beach furniture and trash, keeping the shore clean and dark, and not to disturb nests.

Your Notes for Tonight and Tomorrow

• RAYS VS. RED SOX GAME 2: The Tampa Bay Rays are at home seeking a win against the Boston Red Sox in their 3-game series. Boston leads the series 1-0. Tampa Bay has gone 14-13 at home and are 25-24 overall. First pitch is tonight at 6:50 p.m.

• BIG JUMP AT THE PUMP: Florida's average gas prices saw a big jump on Tuesday, according to AAA. Florida's average gas price on Tuesday is $3.51 per gallon, a 7-cent jump from the day before. The national average price of gas on Tuesday is $3.60 per gallon, a one-cent increase from the previous day, AAA reported. View the cheapest gas prices in the Tampa Bay area.
  


• MONSTER JAM TICKETS: Monster Jam returns to Tampa at Amalie Arena on August 17-18. Families can gather to watch world champion athletes and their 12,000-pound monster trucks tear up the dirt in wide-open competitions. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.com with Monster Jam Preferred Customers able to purchase advance tickets starting today, Tuesday, May 21, before tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, May 28. Fans can still sign up for free to become a Monster Jam Preferred Customer and get exclusive access to the pre-sale offer code.


• HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS EXPO: The City of Seminole is holding their 2024 Hurricane Preparedness Expo on Wednesday, May 22, at the Seminole City Park with Spectrum Bay News 9 Meteorologist Brian McClure serving as speaker. It will take place from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. in the Park View Room at 7464 Ridge Road. The event will focus on educating the community about the importance of preparation and planning for hurricane season as it starts on June 1. Get more details on the event. 

        
           NATIONAL NOTES        

           Wednesday, May 22

• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee hearing on 'Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the Department of State', with testimony from Secretary of State Antony Blinken
• Court hearing for former President Donald Trump, on charges of willful retention of national defense information, obstruction, false statements, and conspiracy. 
• Sony hosts its PlayStation Showcase event, including announcements about upcoming games and hardware for the games console.
• 'The Masked Singer', winner crowned in the final of the celebrity singing game show.
• Annual Shorty Awards, honoring the best producers of short content on social media including Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok
• NASA PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission, transporting a pair of tiny satellites to measure a little-studied portion of the radiant energy emitted by Earth, for clues about sea ice loss, icesheet melting, and a warming Arctic, launches no earlier than today.