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000 

WGUS72 KTBW 131527

FFSTBW

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-132100-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

1127 AM EDT THU SEP 13 2001



...FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES THROUGH THIS 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.



TROPICAL DEPRESSION 8...NOW UPGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM

GABRIELLE...REMAINS NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE SOUTHEAST GULF

OF MEXICO. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THIS TROPICAL SYSTEM...AT LEAST

THROUGH TODAY...WILL CONTINUE BE THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. A

LARGE BAND OF RAINFALL ALONG THE EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN FRINGE OF

GABRIELLE...HAS BEEN MOVING INTO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...AND IS EXPECTED

TO KEEP MODERATE RAINFALL OVER SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...FROM FORT MYERS TO

SARASOTA...THROUGH AT LEAST MID AFTERNOON. THE BEST CHANCES FOR

FLOODING WILL BE ACROSS THIS AREA THIS AFTERNOON...AND RESIDENTS

SHOULD STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER

SERVICE IN THE EVENT ANY WARNINGS BECOME NECESSARY.



GENERALLY 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL FELL ACROSS THE AREA FROM

THE TAMPA BAY SOUTHWARD YESTERDAY...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS

AROUND 3 INCHES. IN GENERAL...1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IS AGAIN

EXPECTED OVER MUCH OF THE AREA...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF

3 TO 4 INCHES...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL

COAST FROM FORT MYERS...NORTHWARD TO SARASOTA.



REMEMBER...THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE EXACT AMOUNTS AND

LOCATIONS OF THE HIGHEST RAINFALL FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. THIS

WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE TRACK TROPICAL STORM GABRIELLE. THE

THREAT EXISTS FOR RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY

HIGHER AMOUNTS...THROUGH SATURDAY.



SEVERAL RIVERS EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF TAMPA BAY REMAIN NEAR OR ABOVE

FLOOD STAGE. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OVER ALREADY SATURATED GROUND WILL

MAINTAIN ONGOING RIVER FLOODING AND MAY INCREASE ITS SEVERITY.



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

TO 36 HOURS. RESIDENTS...PARTICULARLY THOSE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...AS

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

PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND AND TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT

PROPERTY.



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

AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

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