Dark and stormy night to usher in chill later this week

Residents of the Tampa Bay area could wake up before dawn Thursday to the crash of thunder and high winds as a line of squalls moves off the Gulf of Mexico ahead of a cold front.

The National Weather Service says storms should start showing up around Hernando and Citrus counties Wednesday evening with heavy rain.

The line of storms is expected to work its way south to the Tampa Bay area early Thursday.

Conditions are right for the possibility of waterspouts forming over the Gulf and tornadoes to spin off from the thunderstorms.

"People will want to keep an eye on the weather," weather service meteorologist John McMichael said.

The approaching cold front will run into a mass of warm, soggy air over the state that would help fuel the thunderstorms. A rapidly moving jet stream will provide the shear that could allow storms to grow more potent or create tornadoes.

Coastal residents from the Tampa Bay area north could also see tides rise 2 to 4 feet more than normal Wednesday and early Thursday.

Winds blowing on shore will kick up heavy surf and create rip currents along the beaches Wednesday through Friday.

The storm system is expected to start forming Tuesday as an area of low pressure gathers over the Gulf and begins moving up the nation's east coast. The cold front will drag behind the low pressure.

The nighttime arrival of the storms could be a break for the region because the lack of daytime heating will limit the potential punch for some storms.

A mass of dry and significantly cooler air should settle in behind the front. It is expected to bring the coldest temperatures so far this fall to the Bay area.

Forecast models aren't in full agreement, but counties north of Hillsborough and parts of eastern Hillsborough might see temperatures in the high to mid-30s Saturday morning.

A few models are hinting at the high 20s in Hernando, but forecasters aren't sure temperatures will drop that far.

If winds drop low enough, the cold temperatures could even bring a threat of frost to inland areas and counties north of Tampa.