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Tropical Storm Erika may be gone, but Tampa Bay still bracing for rain, flooding

 
City of St. Petersburg Stormwater department employees work together to load the bed of a Dodge Dakota with 20 sand bags at Northeast Park at 875 62nd Ave. NE. in St. Petersburg Sunday afternoon (08/30/15). From left are Stormwater employees Andre Allen. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
City of St. Petersburg Stormwater department employees work together to load the bed of a Dodge Dakota with 20 sand bags at Northeast Park at 875 62nd Ave. NE. in St. Petersburg Sunday afternoon (08/30/15). From left are Stormwater employees Andre Allen. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
Published Aug. 31, 2015

Tropical Storm Erika dissipated over the Caribbean this weekend, sparing Florida from a direct strike.

Tampa Bay, however, still faces an indirect threat.

Deep tropical moisture from the storm, combined with the usual pattern of afternoon thunderstorms, is predicted to take a toll on the bay area in the form of major rainfall today and Tuesday.

The remnants of Erika hadn't even reached Tampa Bay's shores when heavy rains started to pour down Sunday night.

And with parts of South Tampa, Northwest Hillsborough and Pasco County saturated from a summer of record rainfall, officials warned, flooding could again become an issue — fast.

"It won't necessarily be an all-day washout," said WTSP 10Weather meteorologist Kate Wentzel. "It's not necessarily going to rain from 7 a.m. to midnight all the way through.

"But with all this moisture in the air, storms lasting even an hour have the potential to put down impressive rainfall amounts."

Around 4 inches of rain fell in North Hillsborough on Sunday night. A tree and downed power lines rerouted traffic from Little Road between Bloomingdale Avenue and Durant Road in Valrico.

By 9 p.m., street flooding was reported across Tampa. By 10 p.m., flood warnings went out for the region's rivers.

Overall, 3 to 5 inches of rain are predicted to soak the area early this week, forecasters said, with higher amounts in some areas.

With more than 15 inches of rain already, this August has become Tampa's third wettest since records began in 1890 — and there's still a day to go.

"We don't need any more rain around here," said National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew McKaughan, "and, unfortunately, that's what we're going to have for the next couple of days."

If storm cells follow a path like cars on a track, they can pummel certain areas for hours at a time, Wentzel said. The greatest cause for concern lay with saturated river basins and flood-prone urban areas.

"We will keep watching this weather system as it enters the Gulf of Mexico," Gov. Rick Scott said at a news conference Sunday. "We know that when any weather system enters the gulf, it can bring a lot of rain to Florida."

In Tampa, residents spent their sunny Sunday morning gearing up for the deluge to come. A steady stream of people stopped by the City of Tampa's Solid Waste site on Spruce Street to stock up on sandbags.

By 1:30 p.m., between 4,000 and 5,000 sandbags had been distributed, making Sunday the busiest day of the weekend by far, said Tampa Parks and Recreation supervisor Calvin Copeland.

Hillsborough County handed out a total of 8,000 sandbags on Sunday. Pinellas County gave out almost 4,000.

Just weeks ago, record rainfall in late July and early August flooded homes and forced closures of major roadways in the Tampa Bay area — including the Gandy Bridge. Lakes and retention ponds overflowed, and wastewater spilled, prompting many warnings to stay clear of floodwaters.

Some hard-hit areas are still recovering. In Hillsborough County, public works crews have been repairing drainage systems and working to improve floodwater control.

"Some areas are still being pumped to reduce flooding that we've already had this year, so they're going to keep a close eye on those areas," said Tom Iovino, public information officer for the county.

However, Hillsborough do not open any shelters on Sunday.

Hernando County issued a flood watch Sunday to extend through the night.

The county warned of flooded rivers, thunderstorms that could topple trees rooted in wet soil and even waterspouts moving ashore.

Schools throughout the region were all slated to operate as usual today.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday should see a return to the area's typical pattern of afternoon thunderstorms.

Amid the advisories, officials emphasized lessons learned in weeks prior.

"With all of the flooding, it's usually the roadways where people run into trouble," said WTSP 10Weather meteorologist Ashley Batey. "That old saying — 'Turn around, don't drown' — is going to be your best bet."

Times staff writer Jimmy Geurts contributed to this report. Contact Claire McNeill at cmcneill@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8321.

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