Weather: Strong storms will produce heavy surf, threat of coastal flooding
By NEILÂ JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 1, 2009
TAMPA – West Central Florida could be in for a soggy couple of days Wednesday through Friday and faces the threat of strong storms and possible tornadoes as a cold front sweeps into the region.
An area of low pressure developing today in the Gulf of Mexico is forecast to drag the cold front over the peninsula Wednesday, along with the stormy weather ahead of it.
As the low develops, strong winds will switch to come from the south, kicking up heavy surf and driving storm tides that could produce some coastal flooding.
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood watch from Wednesday morning through Thursday from Hillsborough County north to Levy County.
Water levels could be as much as 3½ feet above normal for the Tampa Bay area at high tide Wednesday and Thursday. That could increase to around 4 feet from Hernando County north.
The severe weather is expected to peak from Wednesday afternoon to midnight Thursday.
The storm will cause hazardous conditions for fishermen and mariners and boating enthusiasts are encouraged to postpone trips into the gulf until conditions improve later this week, Hernando County spokeswoman Brenda Frazier said.
In addition, high waves could wash water farther on shore for coastal areas.
Twenty miles off shore, waves could reach 9 to 11 feet.
Residents of Hernando Beach and other coastal areas should review evacuation plans and be ready to move should heavy floods occur, Frazier said.
The weather service issues a coastal flood watch when there is a chance for coastal flooding.
Squalls ahead of the cold front should start hitting Hernando and Citrus counties late Wednesday and reach the Tampa Bay area that night.
There is the possibility for strong winds, heavy rain and even tornadoes from the squalls as the front moves over the peninsula, with the worst threat of severe weather from Tampa Bay north, the weather service says.
Severe weather is less of a threat for areas south of Tampa Bay.
The cold front won’t bring much in the way of cold, though.
Forecast models predict another low pressure area forming quickly and blocking the flow of dry cool air the weather service originally expected to follow the front.
On Monday, the models called for a significant drop in temperatures with lows Saturday morning hitting the upper 30s through inland parts of Hillsborough and counties to the north.
Forecasts even mentioned the possibility of frost.
Now, the low pressure area should bring another round of rain for the region Friday stretching into Saturday, though forecasters don’t expect as high a threat of severe weather.
Some places might see some heavy rain Friday, though.
The low pressure area could develop into a significant storm system later as it moves up the nation’s east coast.
Daytime temperatures during the weekend and into early next week should be in the low 70s, and morning lows Sunday could dip into the 40s.
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