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000 

WGUS72 KTBW 140919

FFSTBW

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-141500-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 

519 AM EDT FRI SEP 14 2001



...FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR HARDEE AND DESOTO COUNTIES UNTIL NOON...



...FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES TODAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES 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.



...TORRENTIAL RAINS RACING THROUGH SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...

TROPICAL STORM GABRIELLE IS ACCELERATING TOWARD SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AT 

5 AM. HEAVY RAINS PRECEDE THE CENTER...AND WILL AFFECT CHARLOTTE 

COUNTY UNTIL 6 AM...SARASOTA...DESOTO...AND MANATEE COUNTY UNTIL 8 

AM...AND THE TAMPA BAY AREA NORTH FROM 7 AM UNTIL 10 AM.  



RECENT RAINFALL AMOUNTS SINCE MIDNIGHT INCLUDE...



4 INCHES NEAR PUNTA GORDA IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY.

2.49 INCHES IN ARCADIA IN DESOTO COUNTY.

1.25 INCHES IN SEBRING IN HIGHLANDS COUNTY.



IN THE HEAVY RAINBAND AREAS...2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN WILL FALL IN A 3 

HOUR PERIOD AS THEY MOVE THROUGH.  THESE RAINS WILL CAUSE URBAN AND 

SMALL STREAM FLOODING AS THEY PASS THROUGH.  RESIDENTS OF 

SARASOTA...BRADENTON...AND THE ENTIRE TAMPA BAY METROPOLITAN 

REGION...CAN EXPECT MINOR FLOODING EARLY THIS MORNING.



COMMUTERS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA ARE URGED TO REMAIN OFF THE ROADS 

DURING THE EARLY MORNING RUSH HOUR...AND PERHAPS LONGER...SINCE THE 

CORE OF TORRENTIAL AND LIKELY URBAN FLOOD PRODUCING RAINS WILL MOVE 

THROUGH AT THAT TIME.



RAINS HAVE BECOME SCATTERED IN LEE COUNTY...AND ADDITIONAL LONG TERM 

HEAVY RAINS ARE NOT EXPECTED THIS MORNING.  RAINS WILL TAPER IN 

CHARLOTTE COUNTY BY 6 AM...SARASOTA COUNTY BY 7 AM...AND THE TAMPA 

BAY AREA BY 9 AM.  



MOST RIVERS AND SMALL STREAMS ARE IN SOME STATE OF FLOOD EAST AND 

SOUTHEAST OF TAMPA BAY...AND WILL REMAIN SO THROUGH THE 

MORNING...EVEN AFTER THE RAINS SUBSIDE. RESIDENTS IN THESE 

AREAS...PARTICULARLY THOSE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...AS WELL AS THOSE 

LIVING NEAR SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS...SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND 

IMMEDIATELY



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

AND ADDITIONAL WARNINGS.



$$



GOLDSMITH

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