Dorian Casting Black Cloud Over Gulfport's Forecast?

Grab the beach towels, sunscreen and of course an umbrella. The Gulfport area’s in for a typical summer weekend weather-wise, forecaster say.

That’s, of course, subject to change as the remnants of Tropical Storm Dorian linger off the state’s southern coast, threatening to reform.

As it stands, Bay area residents should be mindful of the potential for isolated and possibly severe afternoon thunderstorms, forecasters say. The National Weather Service is also warning of the possibility for funnel cloud and water spout formation most especially on Friday with rain chances near 60 percent, but conditions remain ripe for strong storms Saturday.

Rain chances drop to about 30 percent on Sunday, but Dorian’s the wildcard in the mix.

The low pressure system that was Dorian has a 40 percent chance of reforming into a more organized system. It’s bringing more moisture to the state, which means we may see “some rain chances going up,” said Robert Garcia, a meteorologist with the weather service.

Garcia stressed the storm is pretty disorganized at this point. Even so, “we’ll have to watch.”

Dorian aside, Garcia said the Bay area is in for a fairly nice “beach weekend.” With highs in the 90s inland and the upper 80s near the coast, hitting the beach might not be a bad idea. He also says residents should be able to use Interstate 75 as a marker for who is going to have the nicer weather. Right now, it looks like folks living to the east of the interstate are more likely to see storms than those to the west.

“The further inland you are, the better chances you’re going to get rain,” he said.

Get a complete forecast for the Gulfport area by visiting the National Weather Service online.

Gulfport Patch is your place to turn when Florida’s weather turns less than friendly. You can catch up on the latest forecast here and even share what’s happening on your street on our boards. Just post your weather photos, storm-related closings and more right to the site to connect with your neighbors right away.