Rain clears out for your Saturday evening; will Sunday be a repeat?

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (WINK) — Southwest Florida saw another round of strong to severe storms Saturday afternoon, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds, frequent lightning and even the potential for small hail.

The National Weather Service issued multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and Flood Advisories as storms moved across the region.

Strong winds were one of the biggest threats. A 55 mph wind gust was measured at Naples Airport shortly after 2 p.m., followed by a report of a 57 mph wind gust at 2:39 p.m.

Heavy rain also caused some localized flooding. A Flood Advisory was issued for Collier County after radar estimated 2 to 3 inches of rain around Golden Gate.

WINK Live Doppler 3X also detected the potential for hail, with hailstones estimated to be around half an inch in diameter.

WINK Weather Watchers captured plenty of evidence of the storms, sending in photos and videos of ominous clouds, torrential rain, lightning and strong winds.

Chris Bozic, a WINK Weather Watcher in Northeast Cape Coral, measured an impressive 2.5 inches of rain in his rain gauge.

Michael Studer captured video of his flagpole bending in the gusty winds, showing just how strong the storms became.

In Port LaBelle, Amber Johnson reported intense lightning and multiple power interruptions as storms moved through the area.

Will Sunday be a repeat?

For Saturday evening, storms will gradually clear out, giving Southwest Florida a chance to dry out and settle down.

But the break may be short-lived.

WINK Weather Authority Meteorologist Lauren Kreidler says afternoon storms are expected to return Sunday, with coverage potentially similar to what we saw Saturday.

Deep tropical moisture will remain in place across the region, keeping rain chances elevated. That means scattered storms will remain possible each afternoon as we head into the upcoming week.

So while Saturday's storms will wind down this evening, don't put the umbrella away just yet. Sunday could bring another round of heavy rain, gusty winds and frequent lightning.