ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The line of storms moved through the region and exited quickly. Preliminary reports indicate a tornado did touch down in Pinellas County, where the most concentrated damage occurred. 

Morning temperatures will drop into the 50s to low 60s immediately behind the front and winds will shift, coming from the west-northwest.

A Wind Advisory is in effect through tonight. South winds will increase 20 to 35 mph with higher gusts expected.

Winds will remain breezy most of the day, keeping our temperatures cool.  Essentially, the morning temperatures will be the highs for the day with very little movement into the afternoon.

Friday night will be partly cloudy to mostly clear and chilly with lows dropping into the 30s and 40s.

After a chilly Saturday morning, the rest of the day will be cool with mostly sunny skies and highs in the 60s.

Saturday night will be mostly clear with lows in the 40s.

Sunday will be gorgeous with mostly sunny skies and highs rebounding into the 70s.

7-day forecast

We want your pictures!

Show us what the weather looks like in your neighborhood. Your photo could end up on Spectrum Bay News 9.

  • Get the Spectrum Bay News 9 app for iOS or Android
  • Tap "Submit Content" at the bottom of the app menu
  • Remember to include your name and location

SEVERE WEATHER UPDATES:

12:32 p.m. update: Tampa Police reports that the crane previously believed to have collapsed in the downtown Tampa area near Channelside is, in fact, intact and caused no damage. Contrary to appearances, the crane is stored and secured in the manner seen in images and video seen this evening. 

12:28 a.m. update: FHP now reporting I-275 northbound lanes have reopened at Roosevelt Boulevard:

 

 

12:10 a.m. update: A second construction crane, this one in the Channelside area of Tampa, came down due to high winds and severe weather moving through the Bay area Thursday night:

12:00 a.m. update: Approximately 20,000 Duke Energy customers are without power across the state, according to Duke Energy spokesperson Ana Gibbs. 

11:47 p.m. update: A new Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for all of Polk County until 12:45 a.m.

11:33 p.m. update: Tornado warning again in effect in Hillsborough, still in effect for Manatee County until 11:45 p.m.

Update from the Florida Highway Patrol: 

FHP Troopers are assisting with a roadway obstruction on northbound I-275 at Roosevelt Blvd resulting from a crane which fell across the interstate. The crane, part of the Archer Western/DeMoya Joint Venture Gateway project is blocking the northbound lanes of I-275.  All traffic will be diverted onto Roosevelt Blvd as construction crews work to remove the crane. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

11:25 p.m. update: The Florida Highway Patrol reports I-275 northbound in St. Petersburg near Roosevelt Boulevard is blocked due to debris in the roadway. We've confirmed the "debris" is a construction crane that came down across the northbound lanes. Avoid the area.

11:16 p.m. update: A TORNADO WARNING is now in effect for Manatee County until 11:45 p.m.

Update on "structure collapse" in Seminole: According to Seminole Fire Rescue, a large tree came down on top of a single family home in the 10900 block of Oakdale Terrace. The tree fell on the front entrance of the home.

Seven people were in the home at the time - six adults and one teen. One of the adults suffered minor injuries. The American Red Cross and Duke Energy are responding to the location.

11:08 p.m. update: The tornado warning for Hillsborough County has been allowed to expire. 

10:59 p.m. update: We have a crew on the way to the 10900 block of Oakdale Terrace in Seminole to check on a report of a structure collapse due to the weather that passed over the area. We will update as soon as we know more.

10:52 p.m. update: TORNADO WARNING now in effect for Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties until 11:15 p.m.

 

 

 

10:37 p.m. update: A TORNADO WARNING is in effect across central Pinellas County until 11 p.m. 

 

 

 

10:06 p.m. update: Our Trevor Pettiford and Bobby Bills are in Crystal River driving through torrential rain as the line of storms moves on shore:

 

 

 

9:36 p.m. update: A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Western Citrus County until 10:15 p.m.

At 9:28 p.m. severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from eight miles northwest of Archer to 37 miles west of Harbor Bluffs, moving east at 35 mph.

A tornado watch also remains in effect until 3:00 a.m. for west Central Florida.

Remain alert for a possible tornado. Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado, go at once into a small, central room in a sturdy structure.

For your protection, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.

3:35 p.m. update: TECO power outages are less than 500 (a glitch with the company's map earlier reported a higher number). Duke Energy is reporting scattered outages.

3:30 p.m. update: The Florida State Fair will close at 5 p.m. Thursday because of storms. The Fair plans to open as scheduled at 9 a.m. Friday. | View more closings.

3:10 p.m. update: Firefighters are on scene of a technical rescue in the 18300 block of U.S. 41 in Pasco County. 

An elderly female was in her mobile home when a large oak tree blew over, trapping her inside. Special Operations Firefighters just freed the woman from inside the home. She has been listed as a trauma alert.

3 p.m. update: Northbound and southbound lanes of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge have been closed due to high winds.

2:46 p.m. update: St. Pete / Clearwater Airport gusted to 46 mph.

TONIGHT'S FORECAST