On Wednesday evening a weak area of low pressure located about 285 miles southwest of Tampa in the Gulf of Mexico intensified into Tropical Storm Andrea. At midnight Andrea was still a minimal tropical storm located about 260 miles west southwest of Tampa and the system was moving to the north to north northeast at 7mph. Maximum winds are 40mph with higher gusts in squalls. Only slight additional intensification is expected before Andrea makes landfall at or just north of Cedar Key late Thursday afternoon.
The main threat to central Florida from Andrea will be from scattered heavy rain squalls as a main feeder band, currently hitting southwest Florida moves to the north and northeast overnight. Showers and possible thunderstorms on Thursday starting early in the morning and continuing into the evening. Some areas in east central Florida could receive from one to two inches of rain with higher amounts on the west coast and inland areas north of east central Florida. Winds will be southerly at 15-20mph with gusts to 35mph in heavier rain squalls on Thursday in east central Florida, becoming southwesterly at 10-15mph Thursday evening. A chance does exist for isolated tornadoes from early Thursday morning through Thursday evening. Areas that receive heavier rains could experience localized flooding on Thursday.
