WCF SECTION SPECIAL BULLETIN #5 – 1200 – 08/31/16
TROPICAL DEPRESSION #9 FORMS EARLIER THIS WEEK AND HEADED FOR BIG BEND AREA – WCF SECTION PREPAREDNESS.
At 1100, Tropical Depression #9 was located about 415 WSW of Tampa. Currently its motion is stationery but it is expected to resume its path towards the north and then turn towards the northeast later today. The center of Tropical Depression #9 is expected to make landfall near the west end of the Big Bend area of the Panhandle of Florida.
There is a Hurricane Watch in effect for the coastal region of Pasco County in the West Central Florida Section and the coastal counties north of Pasco County all the way to Bay County in the Panhandle. There is a Tropical Storm Warning in effect for all of Pasco County in the West Central Florida Section and all of the coastal counties north of Pasco County all the way to Bay County in the Panhandle. Also at this time there are Flood Warning due to go into effect for portions of the Peace River, Anclote River, and the Myakka River very soon. Heavy Rain can be expected from 3 to 6 inches across much of the West Central Florida Section and especially in the Tampa Bay area which is closer to the area most impacted. Higher amounts can be expected along the coastal counties especially northern coastal counties.
At this time Pinellas County ARES/ACS and Hillsborough County ARES/RACES have been requested by their served agencies to partially active. Other county ARES groups are on standby in case they are requested to activate. All ARES members in the West Central Florida Section are encouraged to continue to monitor the latest National Hurricane Center advisories, check their own supplies and equipment, and check with their local ARES Emergency Coordinator to see if their group has been requested to activate by their served agencies.
The next special bulletin will be issued at 1200 tomorrow unless conditions warrant a special bulletin to be issued sooner.