A Flood Watch covers a wide stretch of west central and north Florida through Monday evening.
Heavy rain has already soaked parts of the region this weekend. More is on the way.
Tampa Bay Area: Citrus, Hernando and Levy Counties
The NWS Tampa Bay office has a Flood Watch in effect through this evening.
It covers coastal and inland Citrus, Hernando and Levy counties. Crystal River, Inverness, Brooksville, Spring Hill and Cedar Key are all included.
Deep tropical moisture is streaming over the area. A frontal boundary to the north is adding to the setup.
Forecasters expect periods of showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rain through tonight.
North Florida: More Rain on Top of a Soggy Weekend
The NWS Jacksonville office also has a Flood Watch through this evening.
It covers Suwannee, Gilchrist, southwestern Columbia, and western Alachua and Marion counties. High Springs, Live Oak, Trenton and Newberry are all in the watch area.
Areas along and west of Interstate 75 already picked up 2 to 5 inches of rain over the weekend.
Another 1 to 3 inches is possible today. Ground that’s already saturated means new rain runs off fast.
What the Watch Means
A Flood Watch doesn’t mean flooding is guaranteed. It means conditions are in place for it.
Excessive runoff could flood rivers, creeks and low-lying spots. Poor-drainage and urban areas are especially at risk.
What Residents Should Do
Keep an eye on later forecasts. A Flood Watch can be upgraded to a Flood Warning quickly if storms stall over one area.
If you live somewhere prone to flooding, have a plan ready. Know how you’d move your car and belongings to higher ground.
Never drive through a flooded road. It only takes a foot or two of moving water to sweep a car away.
Check the latest updates at weather.gov/tbw and weather.gov/jax.
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