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000 

WGUS72 KTBW 281507 CCA

FFSTBW

FLZ055>057-060>062-065-282100-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

1100 AM EDT FRI SEP 28 2001...CORRECTED TO ADD ZONES NUMBERS..



...THE FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY FOR THE

FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA:





  CHARLOTTE                        DESOTO

  HARDEE                           HIGHLANDS

  LEE                              MANATEE

  SARASOTA





INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VENICE...SEBRING...SARASOTA...PUNTA

GORDA...PORT CHARLOTTE...FORT MYERS...CAPE CORAL...BRADENTON AND

ARCADIA.



A STATIONARY FRONT REMAINS ACROSS THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PENINSULA

COMBINED WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE...WILL PROVIDE THE FOCUS FOR

POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY AS UPPER

ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES AND AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE TRACK EAST

ALONG THE FRONT.



SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS HAVE REDEVELOPED OVER THE EASTERN

GULF OF MEXICO THIS MORNING AND ARE BEGINNING TO SLOWLY MOVE INTO

COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON IN THE WATCH AREA AS THE

ATMOSPHERE BECOMES MORE FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT.



RAINFALL DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS HAS AVERAGED ONE TO TWO INCHES

OVER LEE AND CHARLOTTE COUNTIES WITH ISOLATED HEAVIER AMOUNTS.

ELSEWHERE AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN AN INCH. HOWEVER...ADDITIONAL

RAINFALL MAY PUSH TOTALS UPWARD TO AS MUCH AS 3 TO 6 INCHES WITHIN

THE WATCH AREA...WITH THE HIGHER AMOUNTS FAVORING AREAS SOUTH AND

EAST OF A LINE FROM PORT CHARLOTTE TO SEBRING.



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

REMAIN NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. THEREFORE...ANY

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.



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 FOR UPDATES

AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.



FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT

HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW





RD

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