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

We will see a chance of showers on Thursday with highs in the 60s.

These will be hit or miss showers.

Otherwise, expect mostly cloudy skies.

Low temperatures will fall back down to the 40s at night. 

Highs: 64 Lows: 47 Rain Coverage: 30%

Check your hour-by-hour forecast here | Share your weather photos

Today's Big Stories

1. Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire deal to pause Gaza war and release some hostages, mediators say
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies.

2. Bondi says she accepts results of 2020 election at her confirmation hearing for attorney general
Pam Bondi, Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, said she accepted the results of the 2020 election that Trump lost to President Joe Biden but suggested during a confirmation hearing Wednesday that she had witnessed significant problems in Pennsylvania when she traveled to state as an advocate for the Republican's campaign.

• Rubio vows to place U.S. interests 'above all else' as Trump's top diplomat

3. FDA bans red dye No. 3 from foods
U.S. regulators on Wednesday banned the dye called Red 3 from the nation’s food supply, nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk.

4. Firefighters report progress against LA blazes as winds pick up again
Millions of Southern Californians nervously kept watch as winds began picking up Wednesday during a final round of dangerous wildfire weather forecast for the region where two massive blazes have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

5. St. Pete purchases AquaFence to protect critical wastewater station from storms
After the City of St. Petersburg had to proactively pull two major sewer treatment plants offline before Hurricane Milton, officials wanted to find a way to make the wastewater system more resilient to future storms.

6. U.S. inflation picked up in December, though underlying price pressures ease slightly
Wednesday's report from the Labor Department showed that the consumer price index rose 2.9% in December from a year ago, the highest since July. It was the third straight increase after inflation fell to a 3 1/2 year low of 2.4% in September.

7. SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Food Festival returns with new dishes and concert lineup
This year, officials said the festival will expand its concert series to include Friday night performances in addition to Saturdays and Sundays.

Your Notes for Tonight and Tomorrow

• FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX TICKETS | Single Day tickets to the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg go on sale to the public tomorrow at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available for the 21st annual running of the iconic event in downtown St. Petersburg, Feb. 28 - March 2.  Get more info on the race and ticket sales.

• TRAFFIC ALERT | The outside northbound lane of North Rome Avenue is closed between West St. John Street and West St. Joseph Street while the Tampa Water Department returns to complete a more permanent restoration following earlier work to fix a water main break. There will be barricades and signs in the area to help reroute traffic. Road restoration activities are expected to be completed by 5 p.m. Friday, weather permitting.

• GASPARILLA 2025 GUIDES | It's time again to get decked out in your best pirate gear as Gasparilla invades Tampa Bay, with the children's celebration on Jan. 18 and the main pirate fest on Jan. 25. See the parade route, event times, locations and more: baynews9.com/gasparilla

• SPACE MOUNTAIN 50TH ANNIVERSARY | On this date, Walt Disney World opened Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom in 1975. To celebrate its anniversary, the park will light up the exterior of the attraction in a golden glow tonight. It will be visible from points throughout the Magic Kingdom and nearby resort areas.

Walt Disney World's Space Mountain will be illuminated in gold in honor of its 50th anniversary on Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo: Disney)

        
           NATIONAL NOTES        

           Thursday, Jan 16

• Nominations for the 45th Golden Raspberry awards, aka The Razzie Awards, honoring cinematic under-achievement. 
• Automobili-D exposition and Detroit Auto Show Industry Days conclude.
• Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report - Initial Claims
• Mars at its brightest and closest to Earth this year
• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on nomination of Scott Turner to be HUD secretary 10AM
• Hearing to consider the nomination of Scott Bessent, to be Secretary of the Treasury 10:30AM