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Stormy Weather Moves Across Region

Photo by BRYAN FARROW

Cars were stranded on flooded streets in Port Richey.

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 13, 2008

TAMPA - Thunderstorms drifted slowly onshore from the Gulf of Mexico late Saturday and early this morning, flooding streets in west Pasco and forcing organizers to cancel an early morning triathlon.

Flooding forced two families from their mobile homes in New Port Richey and the American Red Cross opened a shelter overnight for the six people.

Three men and three women, from 19 to 56 years old, will be put up in hotels for the next several days.

Rain dumped up to 4 inches of water into their homes in a mobile home community on Aurora Drive.

The Red Cross will keep equipment ad supplies at the shelter the agency opened at the St. Mark's Presbyterian Church in Hudson in case the rains force more families from their homes, said Abi Weaver, spokeswoman.

The storms edged from the Gulf over the coast of Pasco County about 11:30 p.m., Saturday and continued for several hours.

The flooding stranded cars and left water standing nine inches or higher in streets of Bayonet Point, New Port Richey and Hudson.

The National Weather Service reported 2.3 inches of rain was measured in New Port Richey in 30 minutes and 3.3 inches was measured in Hudson in an hour.

A spotter measured 4 inches of rain in Clearwater in 90 minutes.

The worst of the Pasco County flooding was centered near State Road 54 and Seven Springs Boulevard. Vehicles were stranded near U.S. 19 south of New Port Richey, the weather service said.

The rain headed south toward Pinellas and forced the cancellation of the Morton Plant Mease Triathlon that was to start at 6:50 a.m. at Sand Key.

Rain covered all of Pinellas, western Pasco and north and western Hillsborough, the weather service.

Residents can expect a lull through part of the morning, but the weather service said chances for rain will shift to interior areas and south of the Nature Coast during the afternoon.

The mass of thunderstorms and showers is moving south and could bring some heavy rain to the Sarasota area.

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