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FLZ050>052-055>057-060>062-010000-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

530 AM EST SAT MAR 31 2001



...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:



IN WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA...PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...

MANATEE...SARASOTA...DESOTO...HARDEE...AND HIGHLANDS COUNTIES.



IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...CHARLOTTE COUNTY.



...SYNOPSIS AND FORECAST...

AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE...AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT...

WILL TRIGGER A ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS MORNING AND THIS

AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WATCH AREA.



WIDESPREAD RAIN OF LONG DURATION IS NOT EXPECTED.  HOWEVER...THE

STRONGEST STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN AREAS WHERE 5 TO 9 INCHES

OF RAIN FELL LATE THURSDAY AND EARLY FRIDAY.  INDIVIDUAL STORMS HAVE

THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS THAN AN

HOUR...WHICH COULD CAUSE A RAPID RISE IN WATER LEVELS OF SMALL

STREAMS.



AVERAGE RAINFALL IN THE WATCH AREA WILL RANGE FROM ONE HALF TO 2

INCHES...WITH LOCALLY 4 INCHES IN STRONGER STORMS.



...RIVER INFORMATION...

AT 5 AM...THE MANATEE AND LITTLE MANATEE RIVERS REMAINED IN A

RIVER FLOOD WARNING.  OBSERVED STAGE VALUES REMAIN JUST BELOW THE

FLOOD STAGE OF 11 FEET.  HOWEVER...ANY ADDITIONAL RAIN WILL CAUSE

FURTHER RISES...AND THESE WARNINGS MAY NEED TO BE MAINTAINED OR

REISSUED LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.



RESIDENTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FROM TAMPA BAY

SOUTHWARD...PARTICULARLY THOSE IN LOW LYING OR FLOOD PRONE AREAS...AS

WELL AS THOSE LIVING NEAR SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS...SHOULD REMAIN

ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. IF

FLOODING IS OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.



STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR

FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.



$$



GOLDSMITH

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