Community Corner

Flood Watch Up for Brandon; Tornado Activity Possible

The National Weather Service says heavy rains are likely through Thursday and a threat for tornado activity is present.

Brandon area residents might want to batten down the hatches as a low-pressure system moves through the area that’s anticipated to dump as much as 7 inches of rain in some areas.

With that in mid, the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the entire Tampa Bay area that is expected to continue through Thursday, June 6.

Heavy rains are expected to move into the area Wednesday and are anticipated to stick around for a few days.

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“A copious amount of moisture will be moving into the region,” said John McMichael, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Ruskin office.

McMichael said 3 to 5 inches of rain are anticipated in the next 48 hours and there’s ”an increasing risk for tornadoes and water spouts later this afternoon (Wednesday) and Thursday.”

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Some areas of the Tampa Bay area might see as much as 7 inches of rain. This has some local governments already planning for the worst by offering up sandbags to residents in flood-prone areas.

Residents in those flood-prone areas are urged to keep an eye on the weather and move to higher ground if flooding beings, McMichael said.

Rip currents are also a concern in some coastal areas as the storms move into the area.

Rain chances remain high through the weekend, but McMichael said a more normalized pattern of afternoon storms is anticipated to take hold on Friday.

Stay with Brandon Patch for updates on the storms as they become available. And, be sure to let your neighbors know what’s happening in your area by posting your storm photos and comments about localized flooding on the site.


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