The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for a large area of Southwest Florida until 8 tonight. The area covered includes Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto Counties. The Sarasota-Bradenton area was already under a flood advisory, with localized flooding already occurring in some areas of Sarasota and Manatee counties with rain falling at a rate of 2 inches per hour. People are advised to avoid flooded ditches and drains. Motorists should be cautious when approaching water over the roadway.
