Tropical Storm — Coastal Nassau, Florida

2022-09-29 to 2022-09-30 · Coastal Nassau, Florida

Event narrative

The eastern portion of the county experienced storm surge and tropical storm force winds, mainly in gusts. At 12:54 pm on Thursday 9/29, the NOS Tide Gage at Fernandina Beach reach a peak surge height of 3.35 ft MHHW datum. Moderate flooding begins at 2.5 ft MHHW and major flooding begins at 3.5 ft MHHW. Ian's storm surge height at this location was just below Irma's in 2017, which was 3.58 ft MHHW.

At 12:55 pm on Thursday 9/29, Emergency Management reported storm surge flooding near Hurricane Irma levels in Fernandina Beach. At 2 pm on Thursday 9/29, the Fernandina Beach Fire Chief reported minor damage to the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina. The ramp was in the water and bobbing alongside floating docks. Fernandina Beach High School was also damaged. Piney Island along the Amelia River experienced storm surge inundation with numerous streets flooded. Tree and structure damage occurred across the county.

Peak winds included at wind gust of 49 mph at the Fernandina Beach Airport at 12:15 pm and 12:35 pm on 9/29. Peak sustained winds of 35 to 36 mph were recorded at both 11:55 am and then 12:15 pm, respectively. A private weather station in Yulee measured a peak wind gust of 51 mph at 11:50 am on 9/29. The peak sustained wind speed measured at this location was 36 mph at 2:14 pm.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a powerful Category 4 Hurricane on the SW Florida peninsula coast near Punta Gorda on Wednesday, September 28th. The center tracked NE across south-central FL, north of Lake Okeechobee through Wednesday Night and then moved offshore of the central FL Atlantic coast Thursday Morning, September 29th, just near Cape Canaveral as a Tropical Storm. Ian regained Category 1 Hurricane Strength offshore of the northeast Florida Atlantic coast as it tracked NNE into Thursday Night and Friday morning as it made landfall along the South Carolina Atlantic coast. Locally, a strong nor'easter developed through the day Wednesday, September 28th, as a front lifted northward up the FL peninsula ahead of Ian. Tropical Storm force winds and bands of rainfall started to impact northeast Florida through the day Wednesday, the peak in local winds through the day Thursday as Ian's center tracked northward and offshore of the local Atlantic coast. Water levels increased within the St. Johns River basin Wednesday due to the strong nor'easter and annually high spring tides already created water level departures of 0.5 to 1 ft MHHW datum prior to the nor'easter further 'charging' the St. Johns River basin. The peak storm surge along the local Atlantic coast occurred Thursday, then the peak surge pressed into the St. Johns River basin Thursday night into Friday morning. Major to moderate tidal flooding continued into the weekend especially for Putnam, St. Johns and Flagler counties where trapped tides and northerly flow caused extended tidal flooding. Record setting rainfall occurred across the headwaters of the St. Johns River across east-central Florida, and water levels increased the week after Ian passed as the St. Johns River drains south to north, which was also leading up to the peak Spring tides between Oct 8th through Oct 11th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1051086. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.