FFATBW

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1124 AM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

...ERNESTO DOWNGRADED TO TROPICAL DEPRESSION BUT STILL PRODUCING
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER SOUTHERN FLORIDA...

.TROPICAL DEPRESSION ERNESTO WILL MOVE STEADILY THROUGH SOUTH AND
CENTRAL FLORIDA TODAY. AS THE SYSTEM MOVES NORTH IT IS EXPECTED
TO PULL IN ADDITIONAL MOISTURE FROM THE ATLANTIC WHICH SHOULD AID
THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN BANDS.

FLZ050>052-055>057-060>062-065-302100-
/O.CON.KTBW.FA.A.0002.000000T0000Z-060831T0800Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK-MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-
DE SOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLEARWATER...ST. PETERSBURG...BRANDON...
TAMPA...LAKELAND...WINTER HAVEN...BRADENTON...WAUCHULA...
SEBRING...AVON PARK...SARASOTA...VENICE...ARCADIA...
PORT CHARLOTTE...PUNTA GORDA...CAPE CORAL...FORT MYERS
1124 AM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA...
  INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...
  CHARLOTTE AND LEE IN WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA...DE SOTO...HARDEE...
  HIGHLANDS...HILLSBOROUGH...MANATEE...PINELLAS...POLK AND 
  SARASOTA.

* THROUGH LATE TONIGHT

* LOCALLY TORRENTIAL RAIN IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FARTHER WEST
  INCLUDING PORTIONS OF THE TAMPA BAY REGION. THESE RAINSHOWERS
  ASSOCIATED WITH THE RAINBANDS OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION ERNESTO
  WILL PRODUCE TYPICAL PONDING OF WATER IN POOR DRAINAGE
  LOCATIONS. THIS AFTERNOON...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR ONE OR TWO
  STRONG RAINBANDS TO DEVELOP...WHICH COULD DROP A TOTAL OF 2 TO
  4 INCHES OR MORE. SHOULD THESE BANDS AFFECT TRADITIONALLY QUICK
  RISING RIVER BASINS...MINOR RIVER FLOODING MAY RESULT SOMETIME
  ON THURSDAY. OTHERWISE...AREAS NOT LOCATED UNDER DISTINCT BANDS
  WILL ONLY SEE AN INCH OR SO OF RAIN THROUGH THE DAY.

* HEAVY BURSTS OF RAIN MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW 
  LYING AREAS...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS LATER TODAY. 
  RESIDENTS...PARTICULARLY THOSE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...AS WELL 
  AS THOSE LIVING NEAR RIVERS...SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS...
  SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING IS 
  OBSERVED. 

SHOULD UNUSUALLY HEAVY RAINS NOT MATERIALIZE BY LATER THIS
AFTERNOON...THE FLOOD WATCH MAY BE CANCELED OR REDUCED IN SIZE TO ACCOUNT
FOR THE EXPECTED CONDITIONS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
UPDATES AND POSSIBLE FLOOD ADVISORIES OR FLOOD WARNINGS LATER
TODAY.

$$