Meteorologists on Saturday were predicting normal summer scattered thunderstorms and showers by the beginning of the week as officials across the Emerald Coast still were dealing with flooded roads and rivers.
High water from Saturday morning’s rain forced Okaloosa County officials to close the intersection of Spencer Drive and Ross Road in Ocean City. Water was several feet high in spots.
Sunday's weather should be similar to Saturday’s for Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties, said Jeff Garmon, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Mobile, Ala. He said the chance of rain is 70 to 80 percent.
“It’s going to add insult to injury,” Garmon said.
Monday also will be fairly wet, with a 40 to 50 percent chance of rain, he said. By Tuesday and Wednesday there should be only scattered thunderstorms.
That will be a relief after several days of wet weather swamped the Fourth of July holiday. The rain kept thousands of locals and visitors off the beaches and put them on the roads. Shopping centers and movie theaters were packed, but the heavy traffic and street flooding made driving a headache.
See photos from readers of flooding, waterspouts, and more. >>
A storm produced a waterspout off Miramar Beach on Friday afternoon that traveled north and briefly touched down southeast of Niceville. The Weather Service received reports of roof tiles pulled off buildings near Seminole.
Watch a YouTube video of the waterspouts. >>
Watch a video of the tornado taken by local Tim Bruse. >>
Watch a video of a funnel cloud forming by Nick Angelino. >>
All told, 10 to 13 inches of rain had fallen on Okaloosa County since Thursday, Garmon said Saturday morning.
Santa Rosa County saw 7 to 10 inches of rain, with certain locations getting as much as 14 inches.
The Blackwater River near Baker had reached 8.5 feet Saturday morning. Flood stage is 8 feet.
The Weather Service predicted it will fall below flood stage by Tuesday morning.
Minor tributaries were causing most of the problems, Garmon said. Between the saturated soil and more water flowing in from the north, the streams were well over their banks.
“Really, it’s getting to the point the water has nowhere to go,” he said.
Randy McDaniel, Okaloosa’s emergency management director, said no residents along the rivers had been evacuated as of Saturday morning. However, he asked people to continue to monitor advisories.
Anyone driving in the north county should use caution, as those roads are the most likely to be in poor condition from the storms, McDaniel said.
In Walton County, weather should return to its normal pattern of scattered thunderstorms by Sunday, said Don Van Dyke, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tallahassee. The chance of rain is 50 to 60 percent Sunday and 40 percent Monday, he said.
Freeport and most of the southern half of the county received almost 13 inches of rain from Tuesday through Thursday, Van Dyke said. Inlet Beach near the Bay County line got the most rain, at 19.64 inches.
North Walton received about 5 inches over the same period.
The county also is under a flood warning until further notice. The Choctawhatchee River at Bruce was at 15.9 feet at 9 a.m. Saturday. Flood stage is 13 feet.
The river is forecast to rise to 16.8 feet by Tuesday evening and then begin to recede.
Walton County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Catherine Rodriguez said no one had been evacuated as of Saturday morning.
Walton County officials declared a state of emergency Friday, and the Sheriff’s Office on Saturday released a list of 88 roads affected by rising waters.
Damage from the storms is estimated to be in the millions of dollars so far. Officials will continue to assess issues as floodwaters recede.
“We’re all working diligently,” Rodriguez said.
Residents who have suffered damage from the rain can call the Walton County Sheriff’s Office's non-emergency number at 892-8111.