FLOOD WATCH Warning Issue Date: 900 PM EDT WED AUG 20 2008
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE HAS ISSUED A * FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF FLORIDA AND GEORGIA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN FLORIDA...DIXIE...FRANKLIN... GADSDEN...JEFFERSON...LAFAYETTE...LEON...LIBERTY...MADISON... TAYLOR AND WAKULLA. IN GEORGIA...BAKER...BEN HILL...BERRIEN... BROOKS...CALHOUN...CLAY...COLQUITT...COOK...DECATUR... DOUGHERTY...EARLY...GRADY...IRWIN...LANIER...LEE...LOWNDES... MILLER...MITCHELL...QUITMAN...RANDOLPH...SEMINOLE...TERRELL... THOMAS...TIFT...TURNER AND WORTH. * FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING * TROPICAL STORM FAY IS FORECAST TO COME ASHORE ONCE AGAIN TONIGHT...THIS TIME INTO NORTHEAST FLORIDA. FAY WILL THEN TRACK WEST NORTHWEST ACROSS NORTH FLORIDA ON THURSDAY AND WEAKEN TO A DEPRESSION JUST BEFORE REACHING THE LOWER SUWANNEE RIVER THURSDAY NIGHT. THE DEPRESSION WILL THEN TRACK ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND ON FRIDAY AND THEN ACROSS THE PANHANDLE INTO SOUTHEAST ALABAMA BY SATURDAY MORNING. * FAY IS EXPECTED TO BRING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN TO THE AREA BEGINNING THURSDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY EVENING. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL COULD REACH A FOOT ACROSS SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND WITH 6 TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE FURTHER NORTH AND WEST ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND. AMOUNTS ARE CURRENTLY FORECAST TO BE LOWER TO THE NORTH WITH 5 TO 6 INCHES EXPECTED ACROSS FAR SOUTH GEORGIA AND 2 TO 3 INCHES FROM ALBANY OVER TO TIFTON. THIS MUCH RAINFALL WILL CAUSE AREAL AND RIVERINE FLOODING DESPITE THE PROLONGED DROUGHT THAT HAS EXISTED ACROSS PARTS OF THE AREA FOR SOME TIME. A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP. $$