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WGUS72 KTBW 271509

FFSTBW

FLZ055>057-060>062-065-272100-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

1108 AM EDT THU SEP 27 2001



...A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.



THE FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE COUNTIES OF...CHARLOTTE...DESOTO...

HARDEE...HIGHLANDS...LEE...MANATEE...AND SARASOTA.



A STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS THE CENTRAL PENINSULA WITH AMPLE

TROPICAL MOISTURE ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE FRONT...WILL PROVIDE THE

FOCUS FOR POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAINFALL DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF

DAYS AS LOW PRESSURE DISTURBANCES MOVE EASTWARD ALONG THE FRONT.



A LARGE AREA OF RAIN STRETCHING ACROSS THE WATCH AREA AND

GULF CONTINUES MOVING EAST ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS MORNING.  AN

AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN IS ACROSS CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTIES.

THUS FAR...THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS HAS BEEN

OVER LEE COUNTY WITH AMOUNTS RANGING UP TO 4 INCHES. ELSEWHERE

AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN AN INCH. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS OF 3

TO 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA WITH LOCALLY HIGHER

AMOUNTS THROUGH SATURDAY.



STREAMS SUCH AS THE PEACE RIVER...HORSE CREEK...AND THE MYAKKA RIVER

REMAIN NEAR OR ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. THEREFORE ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL

WILL FURTHER AGGRAVATE RIVER AND ASSOCIATED SMALL STREAM FLOODING.

THERE MAY ALSO BE POOLING OF EXCESSIVE RUNOFF IN AREAS WHICH HAVE

ALREADY EXPERIENCED RECENT FLOODING DUE TO TROPICAL STORM GABRIELLE.



ALL PERSONS...PARTICULARLY THOSE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...SHOULD

MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND ADVISORIES CONCERNING THIS POSSIBLE

HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT AND TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT PROPERTY.

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