News

Actions

Tampa Bay bracing for Tropical Storm Colin

Posted at 9:37 PM, Jun 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-05 23:38:12-04

As Tropical Storm Colin marches toward Florida's Gulf Coast, people across Tampa Bay are taking the warnings seriously.  

Fast rounds of rain buried several streets in the Shore Acres area of St. Pete Sunday.

"I'm nervous because I don't want the car to stop in the middle of the road and get stranded there," said Gabi Evans of St. Pete.

Signs are now up warning local communities about the potential for flooding as Tropical Storm Colin comes on shore.

"I wasn't feeling concerned until today.  Local neighbors suggesting we've got three days of rain and high winds, and that we should all stay home if at all possible," said Claire Pentolfe, who lives in Shore Acres.

If the threat looks bad enough, Pentolfe and her family might just seek higher ground.  And emergency officials across the area are encouraging everyone to do that before waters rise, so you don't get stranded.

"We're still going to help them out.  But it's always easier to do it before the rain gets here, before that stuff happens, versus responding to it in the middle of a disaster," said Kevin Guthrie, Pasco Co. emergency services director.

Amy Murray's entire neighborhood in the Bass Lake area of Pasco County was severely flooded last summer.  Her home took on *hree feet of water.  That's why she's heeding the warnings about the threat of Colin.

"Every time I hear bad rains, I'm like, 'Oh no.  Here we go again.  It's going to happen,'" Murray said.

As storm drains play catch up from Sunday's rains, sandbags are now lining many homes and residents are hunkering down, waiting to see what mother nature will do.

"Just hope and pray for the best," said Pentolfe.

Several counties are planning to activate emergency operations centers early Monday morning.  Sandbag stations will also reopen, and shelters are on stand-by if they're needed.