Storm surge remains the biggest threat to the Tampa Bay area after Tropical Storm Debby made landfall Tuesday.

Forecasters cautioned that water levels at high tide could rise up to 3 feet above ground, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Even though Tampa Bay communities won't get the drenchings they've had since Debby was over the Gulf, water levels will remain elevated for "the next day or two," the National Hurricane Center said.

“With rain bands passing, these waters are probably not going to start retreating until the early hours of Wednesday,” said Anthony Reynes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Ruskin office. 

Debby was downgraded to a tropical depression Tuesday night.

Flooding Forces Evacuation in Pasco

Parts of western Pasco County were evacuated Tuesday, as the Anclote and Pithlachascotee rivers flooded, and many of Pasco County's summer programs were canceled for Wednesday.

“Rains from Tropical Storm Debby have caused flooding above the 100-year flood level," county spokesman Eric Keaton wrote in a media release.

The American Red Cross and other agencies have been pitching in to support the affected communities.

Local Forecast

Locally, wind gusts are expected to die down Wednesday. Debby is picking up speed but weakening as the storm cuts a path northeast across the Florida Peninsula, although it could gain strength once it reaches the Atlantic Ocean, which forecasters say could happen as early as Wednesday evening.

Here's a look at the Dunedin forecast for the rest of the week, from the National Weather Service:

• Wednesday: Rainy and hot. There's a 60% chance of rain, with a high of 88 and a heat index of up to 98. Winds will die down to 10-15 mph with higher gusts. 
• Thursday: Partly sunny, with a 30% chance of rain. High of 90, with a heat index of up to 98. Winds will calm to less than 10 mph.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a 30% chance of rain. High near 90.
• Weekend: Highs near 90, with a 20% chance of rain.

Patch will continue to provide local storm photos and the latest storm updates throughout hurricane season.

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