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000 

WGUS72 KTBW 191603

FFSTBW

FLZ039-042-048>051-055-060-062-065-200000-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

1200 PM EDT THU JUN 19 2003



...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR CITRUS...HERNANDO...AND PASCO COUNTIES

   UNTIL 2PM.

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY FOR COASTAL SECTIONS OF

   WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...



THE FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...



  CHARLOTTE...                      CITRUS...

  HERNANDO...                       HILLSBOROUGH...

  LEVY...                           MANATEE...

  PASCO...                          PINELLAS...

  SARASOTA...                       LEE...



DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND EASTERN PACIFIC

OCEAN WILL CONTINUE TO FEED OVER WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

THROUGH FRIDAY. PERIODS OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS...HEAVY AT TIMES

...ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA. THE HEAVIEST RAIN SHOULD GENERALLY

FALL BETWEEN 6 AM AND 8 PM EACH DAY WITH SOME SLACKENING DURING THE

LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS.



BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE CONTINUED TO TRAIN FROM THE

GULF OF MEXICO ACROSS AREAS BETWEEN TAMPA AND CEDAR KEY WITH NEWLY

DEVELOPING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTHWARD OVER THE EASTERN GULF

AND INLAND AREAS. HEAVIEST RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY

FRIDAY WILL GENERALLY BE NORTH OF SARASOTA TO CEDAR KEY.



ALREADY REPORTS OF RAINFALL BETWEEN 3 AND LOCALLY 5 TO 6 INCHES HAVE

FALLEN OVER PORTIONS OF CITRUS...HERNANDO...AND PASCO COUNTIES AS

OF NOON THIS THURSDAY WHERE A FLOOD WARNING WAS ISSUED ALONG WITH

REPORTS OF ROADWAY FLOODING. ON WEDNESDAY RAIN AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5

INCHES IMPACTED THE COASTAL COUNTIES FROM TAMPA BAY SOUTH TO

CHARLOTTE HARBOR. LESSER AMOUNTS HAVE FALLEN ELSEWHERE. ADDITIONAL

ACCUMULATIONS OF ANOTHER 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE MAINLY NORTH OF

SARASOTA TO CEDAR KEY DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS. THE GROUND IS

SATURATED AND ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL RESULT IN LOCALIZED

FLOODING.



FORTHCOMING HEAVY RAINFALL WILL FURTHER IMPACT AREA RIVERS AND

STREAMS. A RIVER FLOOD OUTLOOK HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE POTENTIAL

OF RIVER FLOODING FOR SEVERAL CENTRAL FLORIDA STREAMS INCLUDING

THE ALAFIA...LITTLE MANATEE...MANATEE...PEACE RIVERS AND HORSE CREEK

IN DESOTO COUNTY.



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

TO 36 HOURS. RESIDENTS 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. TYPICALLY POOR DRAINAGE

AREAS WILL LIKELY SEE FLOODING FROM TIME TO TIME...AND SOME ROAD

CLOSURES DUE TO HIGH WATER ARE LIKELY.



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

AND POSSIBLE ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS.



$$

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