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FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE HAS ISSUED A

FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA...INCLUDING THE
FOLLOWING AREAS...ALACHUA...BAKER...BRADFORD...CLAY...
COLUMBIA...DUVAL...FLAGLER...GILCHRIST...HAMILTON...MARION...
NASSAU...PUTNAM...ST JOHNS...SUWANNEE AND UNION.

THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON

TROPICAL STORM FAY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH TOWARD THE FLORIDA
PENINSULA. FAY IS FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL OVER SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
AS A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE. FAVORABLE UPPER ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS
IN COMBINATION WITH INCREASING LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG THE COAST
AND ALONG A STALL FRONT...MAY PROVIDE INCREASED RAINFALL POTENTIAL
FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AHEAD OF FAY. AS A RESULT...A FLOOD WATCH HAS
BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA.

HIGHEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS...BOTH PRECEDING AND DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED
WITH FAY...WILL FAVOR EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA...MAINLY NEAR
AND EAST OF A JACKSONVILLE TO OCALA LINE. IN THESE AREAS...
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES ARE LIKELY...WITH LOCALLY
HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA
COAST AND ASSOCIATED WITH ANY PERSISTENT RAIN BAND. RAINFALL AMOUNTS
OVER THE REMAINING NORTHEAST FLORIDA AREAS WILL AVERAGE 2 TO 3
INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS.

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.