FFATBW
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-262100-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
442 PM EDT SUN SEP 26 2004

...PORTIONS OF THE FLOOD WATCH HAVE BEEN CLEARED...

...THE FLOOD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...

CHARLOTTE AND LEE.

...THE FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM EDT SUNDAY
AFTERNOON. THE WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

CITRUS...DE SOTO...HARDEE...HERNANDO...HIGHLANDS...HILLSBOROUGH...
LEVY...MANATEE...PASCO...PINELLAS...POLK...SARASOTA AND SUMTER.

SOME CITIES IN THE WATCH INCLUDE...

ARCADIA...BARTOW...BRADENTON...BRANDON...BROOKSVILLE...CHIEFLAND...
CLEARWATER...CLEARWATER BEACH...INVERNESS...LAKELAND...NEW PORT
RICHEY...SARASOTA...SEBRING...SPRING HILL...TAMPA...VENICE...WINTER
HAVEN AND ZEPHYRHILLS.

...SYNOPSIS...
HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE JEANNE CONTINUES OVER MUCH OF
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. RADAR ESTIMATES INDICATE RAINFALL
RATES OF ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR WITHIN THE EYE WALL RAINS OVER
NORTHEAST HILLSBOROUGH AND NORTHWEST POLK COUNTIES. THIS RAIN WILL
PUSH TO THE NORTHWEST INTO THE NORTHERN PENINSULA LATER TODAY.

...RAINFALL...
STORM RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE LIKELY ACROSS WEST CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST COASTAL LOCATIONS...WITH 6 TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE ALONG
THE TRACK THE CENTER TAKES. AREAS SOUTH OF THE STORM TRACK WILL SEE 3
TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH SOMEWHAT LESSER AMOUNTS IN CHARLOTTE AND
LEE COUNTIES.

...RIVER STREAM AND CREEK IMPACTS...
THE PEACE RIVER...WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER...AND CYPRESS CREEK ARE STILL
ABOVE FLOOD STAGE DUE TO PREVIOUS HEAVY RAIN EVENTS.  ALTHOUGH IT HAS
BEEN RELATIVELY DRY THE PAST 10 TO 14 DAYS...THE GROUND REMAINS
FAIRLY SATURATED. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN FROM HURRICANE JEANNE MAY
CAUSE MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOODING ONCE AGAIN ACROSS MUCH OF WEST
CENTRAL FLORIDA. THERE IS SOME CHANCE OF RECORD CRESTS IN RIVER
BASINS THAT RECEIVE LOCALLY HIGHER RAINFALL TOTALS. 

RESIDENTS LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT
PROPERTY. 

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.

$$