St. Petersburg Opening Sandbag Locations

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — With a low pressure system near the Yucatan Peninsula threatening the Tampa Bay area with the potential for tropical weather and flooding early next week, the city of St. Petersburg is gearing up to help residents prepare.

The city announced Friday afternoon that it plans to open sandbag locations over the weekend so residents can protect their homes from potential flooding. Residents can report to the sandbag locations to assemble their own bags.

Sandbag operations will open from noon until 6 p.m. on Sunday and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday “or until inclement weather beings,” an email from the city said.

Sandbag materials will be available at the following locations:

• Northeast Park, 875 62nd Ave. N.E., located at the Cardinal Drive entrance to Mangrove Bay Golf Course
• Bartlett Park/Frank W. Pierce Recreation Center, 22nd Avenue South between Sixth and Seventh streets.

“Based on the current forecast the main impact will be heavy rain, possibly exceeding seven inches,” the city’s email said. “Significant rainfall, as well as isolated tornadoes and waterspouts, are possible Monday through Tuesday across Central and South Florida as the system approaches.”

See Also:

• Tropical Cyclone May Threaten Tampa Bay
• Hurricane Season 2016: Where To Find Local Information
• 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Released
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• Tampa Bay 'Ripe for Disaster,' Hurricane Experts Say

While still days away from being a direct threat to the Tampa Bay area, the area of low pressure near Mexico has been given a 60 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone over the next five days. The system is expected to move over the Tampa Bay area next week, bringing heavy rainfall with it.

Patch file photo