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Tampa Bay Area Weather
The Tampa Bay area weather averages 361 days of sunshine a year!! We hold the Guiness Book record for the most sunny days in a row. That is what I love about Tampa Bay. The sun is always shining. If it does rain, which is does, it does it in short bursts and then it is over. Tampa Bay's weather is a combination of bright sunny days tempered by gentle bay breezes. In the spring and fall, the days are pleasantly warm, while the evenings can be a bit cooler. The summer months are characterized by warmer temperatures and quick afternoon showers. The average annual temperature in Tampa is a comfortable 73 degrees. Loose, lightly colored clothing is recommended for daytime activities; a lightweight jacket or sweater is a good choice for the evening, especially for activities on or near the water. Comfortable walking shoes will help make the experience at the area's numerous attractions and shopping malls a pleasant one. Sunscreen rated SPF 15 or higher is also a must for visitors of all ages. If a storm approaches or a hurricane is anywhere nearby you will hear about Tampa Bay Doppler Radar. As a hurricane approaches the coast or thunderstorms threaten to become severe, you're likely to hear about what Doppler radar shows. Doppler refers to the principle the Austrian scientist Christian Doppler discovered in 1842. Doppler worked out his ideas using sound waves, long before radio, much less radar, was invented. During the 1980s and early 1990s, the National Weather Service installed Doppler radars around the USA. In addition, some television stations have their own Doppler radars, while others use images from the NWS radars. All weather radars send out radio waves from an antenna. Objects in the air, such as raindrops, snow crystals, hailstones or even insects and dust, scatter or reflect some of the radio waves back to the antenna. All weather radars, including Doppler, electronically convert the reflected radio waves into pictures showing the location and intensity of precipitation. Doppler radars also measure the frequency change in returning radio waves. Waves reflected by something moving away from the antenna change to a lower frequency, while waves from an object moving toward the antenna change to a higher frequency. The computer that's a part of a Doppler radar uses the frequency changes to show directions and speeds of the winds blowing around the raindrops, insects and other objects that reflected the radio waves. Scientists and forecasters have learned how to use these pictures of wind motions in storms, or even in clear air, to more clearly understand what's happening now and what's likely to happen in the next hour or two.
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