Gulf Coast urged to prepare for heavy rain, potential floods

A slow-moving upper air feature will be the prime mover in our weather this week, as it threatens to bring daily showers and thunderstorms and potentially heavy rain to our area.

This activity is expected to move northwestward and northward, and an area of low pressure could form in the Atlantic by the middle of next week between Florida and Bermuda. Nonetheless, heavy rainfall that could result in flooding is forecast over portions of north-central and northern Florida, including parts of the Florida panhandle, during the next few days.

1 to 2 inches of rain for our area over the next 7 days will be possible which does not cause any concern for flooding.

The statement says the forecast calls for 10-15 inches of rain in locations from Tampa to Pensacola through the next five days with isolated areas receiving over 18 inches. Additional updates will be issued this week.

Flood watches were in effect Sunday night for the Florida Nature Coast and Big Bend all the way into Tuesday.

“Regardless of whether or not a tropical storm develops, light winds, copious amounts of moisture and the disturbance itself will produce rounds of heavy rain through next week”, Accuweather said. About 5 inches to 12 inches of rainfall could be seen over several areas. Tropical Storm Earl is blamed for six deaths in Mexico from a landslide, the Associated Press reported Saturday. Development, if any, of this disturbed weather is becoming less likely while it moves northwestward and then northward off of the coast of the southeastern United States.