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000 

WGUS72 KTBW 191859

FFSTBW

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



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

300 PM EDT THU JUN 19 2003



...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE COUNTIES OF PASCO...NORTHERN

   PINELLAS...AND NORTHERN HILLSBOROUGH UNTIL 6PM.

...FLOOD WATCH FOR HEAVY RAINFALL IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY FOR THE

   COASTAL COUNTIES OF WEST PENINSULA FLORIDA...



THE FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...



  CHARLOTTE...                      CITRUS...

  HERNANDO...                       HILLSBOROUGH...

  LEVY...                           MANATEE...

  PASCO...                          PINELLAS...

  SARASOTA...                       LEE...



DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO STREAM OVER

PENINSULA FLORIDA THROUGH FRIDAY AND POTENTIALLY INTO SATURDAY.

PERIODIC BOUTS OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS...HEAVY AT TIMES...ARE

EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA INTO SATURDAY. 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 TAMPA BAY AND CEDAR KEY WITH NEWLY

DEVELOPING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTHWARD OVER THE EASTERN GULF

AND THE INLAND COUNTIES. HEAVIEST RAINFALL TODAY INTO FRIDAY WILL

GENERALLY BE NORTH OF SARASOTA NORTHWARD TO CEDAR KEY.



AS OF EARLY AFTERNOON REPORTS OF RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO LOCALLY 5

TO 6 INCHES HAVE FALLEN OVER PORTIONS OF CITRUS...HERNANDO...AND

PASCO COUNTIES. HEAVIER RAINFALL SPREADING SOUTHWARD AS PROMPTED THE

FLOOD WARNING TO BE EXTENDED FOR PASCO COUNTY AND EXPANDED INTO

NORTHERN PASCO AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES UNTIL 6PM THIS THURSDAY.

THE FLOOD WARNING FOR CITRUS AND HERNANDO COUNTIES EXPIRED AT 2 PM

WITH SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING BUT NO REPORTS OF MAJOR FLOOD PROBLEMS.



ON WEDNESDAY RAIN AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 ALSO 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...WITH SOME ROAD CLOSURES DUE TO

HIGH WATER LIKELY.



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

AND POSSIBLE ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS.



$$

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