TAMPA, Fla. – Heavy rain and storms are expected across the Tampa Bay area this week as an area of low pressure moves over Florida.

FOX 13 meteorologists say the wet pattern will last at least two or three days with elevated rain chances each day.

Monday forecast

FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg says rounds of rain already began early Monday and more are expected during the afternoon and evening, with deep tropical moisture bringing a slight risk of excessive rain.

Locally heavy rain and minor flooding could occur, according to Osterberg.

There’s a chance of locally heavy rain and minor flooding on Monday, meteorologists say.

It will be a similar setup through midweek, as well, with some areas possibly getting several inches of rain over the next seven days.

Several inches of rain could be possible over the next week, meteorologists say.

“No individual day over the next two or three days will be a washout,” Osterberg said. “But every day, we have a chance of some heavy rain.”

Will there be development in the tropics?

The National Hurricane Center is giving the area of low pressure a 30% chance of development in the next seven days.

The National Hurricane Center is giving an area of low pressure a 30% chance of development in the next seven days.

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Osterberg says it will not develop over Florida as it likely moves due west. Once it moves into the Gulf, though, conditions are more favorable for development.

“As it’s developing, it’s also going to be moving away from our state,” Osterberg said. “So Southeast Louisiana might have to contend with a tropical depression or a tropical storm by the end of the week.”

In the Bay Area, rain chances will slowly decrease from 70% Monday-Wednesday to 40% by this weekend.

Rain chances will slowly drop later this week into this weekend, meteorologists say.