SkyWatch Friday: The marina at Ricks on the River is the place to ride out the approaching storm

This easterly view of the sky over Tampa shows the clouds beginning to gather, darken and grow more menacing. But we really need the moisture in those threatening, blackening clouds. Thankfully they'll let loose a real downpour which might last 15 minutes, more or less. The funny thing about Florida rain showers here on the Gulf Coast, now that we are back into our rainy season, is my street might get an inch of good, soaking rain, this marina 2 inches, and your house, a few blocks away? Zero. But, guaranteed, the humidity will drop a little and the air will feel cooler, even if the temps stay around 90+ degrees (32+ degrees celsius!) Our drought isn't over yet but the rain is falling more regularly and the water reservoirs and the rivers are beginning to rise. These boats tied up at Ricks's marina on the Hillsborough River won't be sitting up high and dry on the sand if the rains continue. At least not anytime soon from the looks of the storm that is surely coming this way.

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