Meteorologist: Andrew Shipotofsky
•8/30/2026
Sunday’s storms are gradually winding down this evening, but the wet pattern across Southwest Florida is far from over.
After another day of widespread showers and thunderstorms, much of the area will settle into a quieter Sunday night. A few lingering showers will remain possible, but storm coverage will decrease through the evening. Skies will turn partly cloudy overnight, with temperatures falling into the mid to upper 70s.
The workweek starts with another round of typical summertime weather, although storm coverage should be a little lower than what we saw Sunday.
An easterly wind around 5 to 10 mph will help push showers and thunderstorms inland during the afternoon before some activity works back toward the Gulf Coast later in the day. About a 50% chance of rain is expected Monday.
Temperatures will climb into the low 90s, with the combination of heat, humidity and storms making it feel warmer.
Any storm that develops could produce heavy downpours, frequent lightning and gusty winds. Localized flooding will also remain possible where storms repeatedly move over the same areas.
Rain chances increase again Tuesday, with a 70% chance of afternoon storms across Southwest Florida.
The rest of the workweek will remain unsettled, with rain chances generally staying in the 50% to 60% range Wednesday through Friday. By next weekend, rain chances could increase to around 70% Saturday and Sunday.
The overall setup favors scattered to widespread afternoon storms, rather than an all-day washout. There will still be opportunities for dry weather, especially during the morning hours, but storms will become increasingly likely during the afternoon.
Temperatures will remain close to seasonal levels, with highs generally in the lower 90s and overnight lows in the mid to upper 70s.
Tropical moisture will become an increasingly important part of our forecast as we head through the week.
The remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly are currently producing showers and thunderstorms near Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the northern Leeward Islands. The National Hurricane Center says there are still no signs of a closed surface circulation, and redevelopment is unlikely over the next couple of days as the system races westward to west-northwestward.
The NHC gives the remnants a near-zero chance of redevelopment through 48 hours and a 20% chance through seven days. Conditions could become more favorable for redevelopment by the middle of the week as the wave reaches the southeastern Gulf of America.
Even if Dolly does not redevelop, the tropical moisture associated with the system can still have a significant impact on our rainfall forecast. That moisture is expected to spread across Florida later in the week, helping increase rain chances heading toward Labor Day weekend.
There is also a separate system in the northern Gulf of America that deserves watching, but it is not a direct threat to Southwest Florida.
The National Hurricane Center says Invest 97L, located about 125 miles south of southeastern Louisiana, has continued to become better organized, with shower and thunderstorm activity increasing.
The NHC now gives the system a 70% chance of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm within the next 48 hours and over the next seven days. The system is expected to move slowly west-northwestward toward the Upper Texas or southwestern Louisiana coast, potentially making landfall Tuesday or Tuesday night.
The NHC says tropical storm watches or warnings could be required for portions of the southwest Louisiana and Upper Texas coasts later tonight or Monday morning. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is also scheduled to investigate the system Monday morning.
For Southwest Florida, the important takeaway is that 97L is expected to remain well to our west. Its primary impacts will be focused on the northern Gulf Coast.
