Wind to increase ahead of weekend, boating advisories expected

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Wind conditions are expected to increase heading into the weekend, according to ABC7 Chief Meteorologist Bob Harrigan.Boating advisories are not in effect yet, but are expected to begin Saturday and continue through Sunday and into Monday, Harrigan said.Temperatures have remained in the low 80s this week, with conditions described as mild. Breezy conditions are expected through the week before winds increase over the weekend.Why winds are expected to increaseThe wind is tied to a large area of high pressure that has built in over the Southeast, Midwest and Ohio Valley. Skies are cloud-free in those areas under the high-pressure ridge.When a high-pressure system and a low-pressure system are close to one another, it creates what Harrigan called a tight pressure gradient, with wind moving from the high-pressure system toward the low-pressure system.Harrigan said this pattern has already caused boating advisories, flooding advisories, high surf advisories and rip c