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Flood watch extended as heavy rain forecast to linger through Wednesday

 
A man crossing Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa uses a newspaper to protect himself from the rain Tuesday morning.
A man crossing Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa uses a newspaper to protect himself from the rain Tuesday morning.
Published Sept. 24, 2013

As heavy rain flooded roads and area counties issued advisories, the National Weather Service Tuesday extended its flood watch for the entire Tampa Bay area through 8 p.m. Wednesday night.

A stalled front in north Florida and an area of deep moisture above our region caused lingering thunderstorms throughout Monday, Bay News 9 Meteorologist Juli Marquez said. And the foul weather was expected to continue through Wednesday.

A hazardous weather outlook issued by the National Weather Service also warned of possible rip currents, waterspouts and elevated seas due to the stalled front meeting southwesterly winds over the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Marquez said Monday's rainfall ranged from one inch to as many as five inches in parts of Pasco County, where authorities Tuesday reminded residents not to attempt to walk or drive through flooded streets.

"Just six inches of moving water can knock you down," Pasco County Emergency Management Director Annette Doying said in a press release.

Doying's office is offering sandbags­—limited to 25 per person—for flood protection at the Public Works Complex in New Port Richey and the C-Barn on Warder Road in San Antonio. Hernando County reported one closed road and several areas of minor flooding, and recommended residents head to local home improvement stores to pick up sandbags.

The long, wet slog was expected continue through Wednesday. As that troublesome north Florida front moves south later in the week, it will make room for drier air, Marquez said, meaning storms should taper off Thursday.

High temperatures should linger in the mid to upper 80s all week, with lows dipping into the high 70s.