Record-setting rain

Cars struggled to get through some of the flooded roads.

Bay area residents continue to deal with the consequences of Friday's severe and continuous storms.

There has been heavy flooding since early Friday morning, resulting in some cars being stuck on roads, major traffic tieups, accidents, and roof collapses. There were also reports of hail.

Bands of rain continue to go through many parts of the Bay area, with some areas getting as much as 4 inches of rain per hour. Winds also are high, gusting up to 40 mph in some storms.

Storm's Effects
	Click here for road closure information. Click here for pictures of the storm's consequences. Click here for a story about Bay area bus crashes.

Parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties are under a flash flood warning.

Parts of the Lealman area in Pinellas County have been evacuated. About 30 people near the area of 63rd Way North and 64th Street were forced out of their homes by 3 to 4 feet of floodwater.

Earlier, another 20 homes were evacuated in an area bounded by 55th and 57th Avenue North and 62nd to 65th Street North.

Numerous motorists have become stranded in their cars as they tried to navigate flood waters.

Rainfall totals include:

• Kenneth City: 10 inches
  
• Citrus Park: 7 inches
• Clearwater: 8 inches
  
• TIA: 8 inches
• Lakeland: 4 inches

Furthermore, Pinpoint Doppler 9000 estimates these rainful amounts:

• Pinellas Park: 15 inches
• Seminole: 12 inches
• Largo: 10 inches

This is the fourth-wettest day on record in Tampa.

Many incoming and outgoing flights at TIA are delayed, so passengers are urged to call their airline ahead of time. Also, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport grounded most local planes and business jet traffic.

On-and-off rain is in the forecast through mid-day Saturday, but that should subside as a cold front moves through. Tune in to Weather on the Nines for complete forecast information.

Despite the rain, there are no reports of major structural damage to homes or businesses in Hillsborough County. But Friday's torrential rains kept Tampa stormwater crews busy, working frantically to keep rainwater from flooding streets, homes and businesses.

Tampa stormwater crews were busy Friday.

"Big problems," said Tampa stormwater department supervisor Leroy Lentz. "Sometimes we have to work day and night, 24 hours to keep the system clean and keep the water out of people's houses. That's our main thing, to keep the water out of people houses."

Stormwater workers normally work 10-hour days, four days a week, with many workers having Friday off. That added to the workload for stormwater department employees Friday.




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