Flood warning issued for Manatee County until Saturday morning

Just before midnight, a flood warning was issued for Manatee County by the National Weather Service after heavy storms Friday night were causing some localized flooding in areas of county already saturated from last weekend’s rainfall.

The National Weather Service issued the warning after emergency management officials reported ongoing flooding and street closures in areas of western Manatee County and along the Interstate 75 corridor. The flood warning is set to expire at 5:45 a.m. Saturday.

The following road are reported closed as a result of flooding:

▪  Intersection of Orlando Avenue and U.S. 41

▪  Intersection of Kay Road and Interstate 75

Flooding has also been reported along Wares Creek and in the area of the Samoset Villages.

Areas that could see flooding include: Bradenton, Palmetto, Lakewood Ranch, Ellenton, South Bradenton, Memphis, West Bradenton, Sarasota Bradenton Airport, West Samoset, Bayshore Gardens, Cortez, Samoset, Palma Sola and Oneco, according to the warning.

Officials remind residents that most flooding deaths occur in vehicle, and ask drivers to “turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads.”

By 10:30 p.m., rainfall in the areas of Bayshore Gardens and South Bradenton had seen the worst rain with an estimated 2.4 inches, according to Bay News 9 meteorologist Diane Kacmarik.

Cars were reported to be flooded out at the intersection of 14th Street and 58th Avenue West and in the 7000 block of 50th Avenue West. Those same areas saw the worst of the rain last weekend, when a low-pressure system that moved slowly through the area dropped more than 16 inches of rain at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport and flood waters seeped into homes and stalled out cars.

“That’s just tonight, and there is still more rain coming,” Kacmarik said of Saturday’s forecast.

Rain was expected to continue into Saturday morning with storms still rolling in off the Gulf of Mexico.

There is a 70 percent chance of rain for Saturday with more heavy rain and lightning in the forecast.

On Friday night, the National Weather Service reported that a 16-year-old had been struck by lightning on St. Pete Beach.

A flood warning remains in effect until further notice for the Myakka River at Myakka River State Park because of the excessive rainfall leading to excessive runoff into area rivers and streams, according to the National Weather Service.

At 9 p.m. Friday, the Myakka River was at 9 feet, with flood stage at 7 feet. The river is forecast to fall to 8.5 feet by Sunday morning. At 8.5 feet, most of the Myakka State Park will remain closed.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 10:57 PM with the headline "Flood warning issued for Manatee County until Saturday morning."