EF1 tornado confirmed in Pinellas County after severe weather rolled through Tampa Bay area

TAMPA, Fla. - An EF1 tornado popped for a short time in Pinellas County along 7th Avenue North Thursday, bringing in 100 mile per hour winds, FOX 13 Chief Meteorologist Paul Dellegatto confirmed. 

This comes as a cold front brought heavy rain, winds and severe weather throughout the Tampa Bay area. 

Thunderstorms were already developing along the Panhandle Wednesday evening after the front caused possible tornados and wind damage in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. 

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Dozens of lightning strikes were detected over the Gulf of Mexico Thursday morning, off the coast of Hernando, Pasco and Citrus counties and marine advisories and warnings were in effect for much of Florida’s central West Coast.

By Thursday afternoon, damage was being reported in some coastal counties, with trees down on homes in St. Petersburg and a gas station's roof torn off in Spring Hill.

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Temperatures ahead of the front were in the upper 60s and low 70s. Warm air clashing with the front is the primary driver of the threat for windy and rainy conditions. 

Temperature map for Tampa Bay area Thursday, Dec. 15

Clear weather is behind the front and cooler temperatures are starting to move in locally, Dellegatto said. As temperatures begin to drop slightly across Florida, the humidity will drop, too.

The severe weather threat is done in the Tampa Bay area and the low on Friday is forecast to be in the 50s.

Forecast temperatures for Dec. 15-17

Friday will remain clear, but another chance for rain comes Saturday, with even colder temperatures behind it. Sunday’s low will be around 45 degrees.