Heavy Rains Continue Over The Panhandle, But Drier Air Expected This Weekend

Flash Flood Watches last through Wednesday evening, but gradual improvements are forecast into the weekend.

FPREN HQ – Days of heavy rain has deposited more than a foot of rain in portions of Northwest Florida, but a drying trend is expected this weekend.

Widespread rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches of rain have fallen south of Interstate 10 from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties eastward into Okaloosa, Walton, and western Bay counties. A separate area of more than 5 inches of rain has fallen along the Forgotten Coast in Franklin and western Wakulla counties. Nearly all of it has fallen since late Sunday or early Monday. Substantial flash flooding remains a concern over the western Panhandle Wednesday, even with only a small amount of additional rain.

Additional rain was ongoing from Walton county eastward into the Panama City, Tallahassee, and areas south toward the Gulf coast Wednesday morning. Despite a break in the rain farther west, Flash Flood Warnings continued in parts of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties overnight Tuesday into the wee-hours of Wednesday morning.

2 to 4 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts, are forecast on top of what has already fallen

A Flash Flood Watch continues through Wednesday evening from Tallahassee, westward. The National Weather Services says another 2 to 4 inches of rain is possible, with locally higher amounts near heavy thunderstorms. Another disturbance moving along the Gulf coast will mean additional rain for the Destin and Fort Walton areas and east Wednesday night and Thursday. Additional rain is forecast on Friday in the Tallahassee area and to the east, but gradual drying is forecast farther west in the Panhandle. A ridge of high pressure building in from the west over the weekend is forecast to bring a longer period of drier conditions.

Story by FPREN Meteorologist Ray Hawthorne.