Posted on 09/05/2003 2:18:14 AM PDT by NautiNurse
MANATEE - Local officials are preparing for the worst as a tropical system threatens to dump up to 12 inches of water on Manatee County.
Tropical storm warnings and flood watches were issued for several counties, including Manatee and Sarasota, through Saturday afternoon. The Myakka River at Myakka State Park had already begun overflowing its banks Thursday afternoon, the service warned.
The storm could dump more rain than anticipated because it is moving so slowly, said Frank Alsheimer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. By Thursday evening, the National Weather Service was predicting about 10 inches of rain, with 1 foot possible in isolated areas as the storm passes over the region. The rain was expected to hit Manatee County by early today. At 11 p.m. Thursday, the storm, likely to become Tropical Storm Henri, was located near latitude 27.7 north and longitude 85.5 west.
Forecasters are warning residents that the heavy rains will likely flood along the Manatee and Myakka rivers and in other flood-prone areas because the ground is saturated from August's heavy rains.
"Obviously, if you live in a flood-prone area, you need to be prepared to take action," Alsheimer said. "Generally, people, if they got flooded in June and flooded in August, they're going to be get flooded again."
That possibility is forcing local officials to prepare for the worst.
Emergency personnel are prepared to start up the county's Emergency Operations Center at a moment's notice and scramble rescuers. Jay Moyles, spokesman for Manatee County Public Safety and chief of Marine Rescue, said his department is "on alert" for any changes in the weather.
He warned that people should avoid flood-prone areas such as the Rye Bridge, the DeSoto Square mall parking lot and Wares Creek if the storm hits hard.
"We're reminding everyone the ground is saturated, and this means that additional rain will produce localized flooding," Moyles said.
He also urged residents to drive slowly through flooded areas to avoid sending wakes into other vehicles and people's homes.
Gov. Jeb Bush expressed concern that Florida residents are so used to hurricanes, they won't take a tropical storm or depression seriously. But he said because the state has had such heavy rainfall in recent weeks, the ground is so full in many areas that even an exceptionally rainy weekend could cause floods.
"It's not just on the coast," Bush said.
Florida Power & Light is gearing up for the possibility of bad weather. The saturated ground and the possibility of heavy winds could uproot trees, downing power lines.
The company is considering moving employees from the east coast of Florida to the west coast in the event of mass outages, said Mel Klein, spokesman for the utility company.
Operators at the Lake Manatee dam have been preparing for the worst by dropping the lake level. Paul Ramsey, an operator at the dam, said that the lake level was lowered Thursday from 38 feet to 37 feet in anticipation.
"They want to make sure that we can handle anything that comes along," Ramsey said.
A gate on the dam malfunctioned in June during heavy rains, sending dozens of residents from their homes to local shelters for fear of flooding. On Thursday, Ramsey said, the dam was functioning without problems.
Piney Point's phosphate lakes, which also came dangerously close to flooding in January, had 18 inches of room left Thursday, said Deena Wells, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
As rain comes in, officials truck it offsite to wastewater treatment ponds and discharge highly treated water to Bishop Harbor, Wells said. The removal prevents the possibility of the ponds overflowing.
"We are confident that the site has sufficient capacity and is not at risk for a spill," she said.
They are less sure whether a barge carrying the treated phosphate water will leave on time this weekend. The captain will make a decision pending the outcome of the weather. The barge was filling up Thursday for its 12th trip, which DEP will delay if the tropical system makes marine conditions dangerous.
"We're paying close attention to the weather because safety of the crew onboard is a high priority for us," Wells said.
The Manatee County chapter of the American Red Cross has been alerting its volunteers that their services may be needed quickly over the next two days. Bobbi Larson, community affairs director for the chapter, said they are stocking up and preparing so they can open emergency shelters on little notice.
"We can have it open within an hour of receiving the call," Larson said.
She suggested residents stock up on bottled water and a few extra groceries in the event the water system becomes unsafe or residents are unable to get to the grocery stores.
"Have a plan, make sure those insurance premiums are paid," Larson said.
Brian Haas, staff writer, can be reached at 748-0411, ext. 7024, or at bhaas@bradentonherald.com.
For a complete wrap on the storm, turn to Bay News 9's "Weather on the Nines" every 10 minutes to find out how the storm will affect you.
RAINFALL
Rainfall at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport:
August rainfall: 17.74 inches*
Normal August rainfall: 9.43 inches
September rainfall as of Sept. 3: 1.4 inches
Normal rainfall for the month of September: 7.25 inches
Year-to-date rainfall: 46.69 inches
Normal yearly rainfall: 54.12 inches
* Third wettest August since records were first kept in 1948
Source: National Weather Service
...Depression strengthens to tropical storm...
a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Gulf Coast of Florida from Englewood northward to the Aucilla river.
At 5 am EDT...0900z...the center of Tropical Storm Henri was located near latitude 27.7 north...longitude 84.6 west or about 115 miles west of St. Petersburg Florida.
Henri is moving toward the east near 7 mph and a turn toward the northeast is expected during the next 24 hours. This track is expected to bring the center across north-central Florida on Saturday.
Based on reports from an Air Force reserve reconnaissance aircraft ...The maximum sustained winds have increased to near 40 mph. This makes Henri a minimal tropical storm. There is a chance for some additional strengthening during the next 24 hours.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 45 miles ... 75 km from the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 mb...29.53 inches.
Rain is currently confined to the central Florida Gulf Coast. But the rain is expected to spread inland and up to 5 to 8 inches may accumulate over the next day or two across portions of central and North Florida. Due to saturated ground conditions and high river stages...these heavy rains could result in flooding.
Coastal storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels can be expected near and to the south of where the center makes landfall.
There is a risk of isolated tornados later today over portions of central or North Florida.
Repeating the 5 am EDT position...27.7 N... 84.6 W. Movement toward...east near 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 40 mph. Minimum central pressure...1000 mb.
For storm information specific to your area...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 8 am EDT followed by the next complete advisory at 11 am EDT.
Forecaster Lawrence
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