Upgraded risk of severe weather issued for parts of Southwest Florida

The Weather Authority is tracking severe storms expected to arrive late Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday morning.

The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded the risk of severe weather from level one to level two.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Charlotte, DeSoto and northwestern Lee County. It has since expired.

The range of the severe weather alert has been extended by the Storm Prediction Center.

The severe weather outlook now includes slightly south of Bonita Springs, stretching Glades, portions of Hendry County and a few areas in Collier County.

The change was made due to the increasing damaging wind threat within the strongest of these storms.

A wind advisory was issued for Collier, Hendry and Glades counties by the National Weather Service in Miami around 1 p.m. Expect widespread southerly gusts in the 30-40 mph range, with some spots even higher. Winds will be strongest along the coast.

• RELATED: Tornado warnings issued for parts of Northern Florida

The wind advisory will be in effect from 10 a.m. through 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Here’s what to expect for the next three days:

Tuesday: A mild and humid start to the day with temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. We’ll see a mainly dry, but breezy morning. Windy conditions will arrive early this afternoon with gusts as high as 40 – 50 mph. Temperature highs will be in the upper 70s to lower 80s. 

• RELATED: Gov. DeSantis activates Florida State Guard for severe weather Tuesday

A line of strong to severe storms will arrive later in the afternoon, moving southeast through the area into the evening hours.

• RELATED: Flood and wind watches issued for several counties ahead of Tuesday’s severe weather outlook

Damaging winds, heavy rain and tornadoes are all possible threats throughout the storm.

Tuesday Night: As the storms move out of Southwest Florida, we will see a shift in the winds from the south to more of an onshore wind.

This strong onshore breeze will coincide with the high tide late Tuesday into early Wednesday morning and coastal flooding will be possible. Coastal Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties could see upwards of 1 to 2 feet of surge.

Wednesday: We’ll see a partly to mostly cloudy sky with clouds quickly decreasing around the area. While we could still see some minor coastal flooding in the early morning hours, conditions will improve as the winds subside through the morning.

Expect sun and clouds for the afternoon with highs in the upper 60s to lower 70s. 

Thursday: Clouds and sun with isolated rain possible in the afternoon and evening. Temperatures will stay cooler than normal with highs in the upper 60s and lower 70s.