Hot and Humid Sunday With Low Coastal Rain Chances

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The early morning church commute should feel warm and a bit humid Sunday. You can leave the umbrella at home as there is only a 20% chance of rain in Sarasota and Manatee County. The little rain that does develop should fall in the form of isolated showers during the afternoon.

Inland counties will see a 40% chance of isolated storms, also in the afternoon. Highs will be around 90 degrees with a heat index of 102 during the hottest part of the afternoon.

Beachgoers should enjoy hot and clear conditions along the coast, with highs in the upper 80s, as well as the gulf water temperatures along the coast. The ultra violet index will be in the very high category between noon and 3 p.m. Therefore, sunscreen is recommended.

Boating conditions are favorable for the next few days. Boaters will see seas about one foot with a light chop. Winds will be out of the south between five and ten knots.

Hurricane Lee has weakened to a category two hurricane but is expected to regain strength reaching category four status before weakening again. It will continue to stay east of Florida and will not be a threat to the Suncoast.

However, the European model has shifted it to west after it make a hard right turn to the north, and has it landing in Rhode Island next Sunday as a hurricane. The American GFS model also shifted west and has it landing in Halifax, Canada Saturday as a hurricane. It is important to keep in mind that these forecast models show landfall over a week from today, and they can change significantly within that time period.

As far as current impacts, Lee could produce dangerous rip currents and high surf conditions certainly in the areas around the northern Leeward Islands. Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Turks and Caicos could also experience life threatening rip tides and dangerous surf conditions. Later in the week, Lee could produce these conditions along the east coast of the United States.

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