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Continued Showers And
Thunderstorms Expected To Plague Central And
South Peninsula...Some Storms Could Be
Severe...Flood Warnings and Watches in Effect
For West Central Florida...Tropics Remain Quiet
Updated 10:00 AM EDT Thursday
The weakened frontal boundary that caused
excessive flooding problems for the Tampa Bay
Region yesterday has moved south to the tip of
the Florida Peninsula, leaving its remnants of
scattered showers and thunderstorms behind.
However, there is another cold front slowly
approaching North Florida today, and the
combination between these two patterns, in
addition with a west-southwest wind flow that is
pulling tropical moisture into the peninsula
will cause widespread shower activity throughout
the state, with the maximum amount of rainfall
expected in West Central Florida. Rainfall will
only be isolated in Northeast Florida and the
panhandle due to a lingering pocket of dry air
over the region, but the afternoon sea breeze
could enhance instability associated with the
approaching cold front and spawn more shower
activity for Northern Florida.
Daytime heating is expected to increase today
for Central and South Florida, and as a result,
some storms could be more vigorous and could
yield severe weather for the region. The biggest
threat will be torrential downpours with slow
moving storms causing flooding, but stronger
storms may contain cloud-to-ground lightning,
damaging winds, waterspouts over coastal waters,
and possibly an isolated short lived tornado
over coastal counties. The worst weather will be
focused on western parts of Central and South
Florida.
A Flood Watch is in effect for West
Central Florida through this evening due to
a continued forecast of high precipitation for
the region. Widespread rainfall totals will
reach 1 to 3 inches with locally 3 to 6 inches
where intense thunderstorms develop. A
Flood Warning is in effect for the Manatee
River at Myakka Head and the Manatee River at
Rye Bridge until Friday Morning.
Flash Flood Survival Tips
There is a Moderate to High Risk for
Rip Currents along all gulf coast beaches
today from the Florida Big Bend to Southwest
Florida today due to a westerly wind flow. Those
entering the water should be aware of the risk
of a strong undertow, and only swim near a
lifeguard.
Skies will remain partly cloudy for much of
Northern Florida and the Florida Keys today with
only isolated shower activity expected. In the
western panhandle, Florida Big Bend, and
Northeast Florida, temperatures will heat up
quickly to the mid to upper 90s with heat
indices reaching into the lower 100s. The
central and southern peninsula will be cooler
due to shower activity and reach the upper 80s
to lower 90s. Drier air in the northern part of
the state will drop nighttime temperatures
slightly lower than usual to the low 70s in
interior counties and upper 60s in the interior
western panhandle. Interior parts of the
peninsula will fall to the mid 70s, and coastal
regions will stay warmer at the mid to upper
70s.
The tropics are currently quiet, with only a few
weak tropical waves moving in the Atlantic
Basin.
National Hurricane Center
To access the latest watches, warnings, and
advisories from the National Weather Service for
your county, please
Click Here
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