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000 

WGUS72 KTBW 112045

FFSTBW

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-120300-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

500 PM EDT TUE SEP 11 2001



...THE FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR

THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...





  CHARLOTTE...                      CITRUS...

  DESOTO...                         HARDEE...

  HERNANDO...                       HIGHLANDS...

  HILLSBOROUGH...                   LEVY...

  MANATEE...                        PASCO...

  PINELLAS...                       POLK...

  SARASOTA...                       LEE...

  SUMTER...



INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ZEPHYRHILLS...WINTER HAVEN...VENICE...

TAMPA...SPRING HILL...SEBRING...SARASOTA...PUNTA GORDA...PORT

CHARLOTTE...NEW PORT RICHEY...LAKELAND...INVERNESS...CLEARWATER...

CHIEFLAND...BROOKSVILLE...BRANDON...BRADENTON...BARTOW AND ARCADIA.



AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF WATERS...

WELL SOUTHWEST OF THE FORT MYERS AREA...IS EXPECTED TO DRIFT

SOUTHWEST OVERNIGHT...THEN BEGIN TO MOVE BACK TO THE NORTH ON

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...ALONG WITH

ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE...WILL ALLOW FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY

RAINFALL ACROSS ALL OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THROUGH

AT LEAST THURSDAY.



AS OF LATE AFTERNOON...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD

DEVELOPED OVER THE ENTIRE AREA MOVING NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH. RAINFALL

TOTALS WERE GENERALLY 1/2 TO 1 INCH...WITH LOCALLY 3 INCHES.

THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL DISSIPATE BY MIDNIGHT.  SHOWERS AND

THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP LATE TOMORROW MORNING AND PERSIST

THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.



THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING MAY INCREASE ACROSS THE

ENTIRE AREA ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...AS THE LOW IN THE GULF MOVES

SLOWLY NORTH. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WILL BE

POSSIBLE BEFORE CONDITIONS BEGIN TO IMPROVE TOWARD THE END OF THE

WORK WEEK.



IN ADDITION...SEVERAL RIVERS EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF TAMPA BAY REMAIN

ABOVE FLOOD STAGE.  ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL COULD INCREASE THE

SEVERITY OF THE FLOODING.  RESIDENTS...PARTICULARLY THOSE IN FLOOD

PRONE AREAS...AS WELL AS THOSE LIVING NEAR RIVERS...SMALL STREAMS AND

CREEKS...SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING IS

OBSERVED.



REMEMBER A FLOOD WATCH MEANS FLOODING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24

TO 36 HOURS. RESIDENTS LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD TAKE ACTION

TO PROTECT PROPERTY.



STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR

ANY UPDATES...AND POSSIBLE FLOOD ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS TODAY.

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