Tropical Storm — Coastal Glynn, Georgia

2022-11-10 · Coastal Glynn, Georgia

Event narrative

Many areas of storm surge flooding reported from Jekyll Island to areas in Brunswick and St Simons Island. More significant surge flooding was reported over the southeast St Simons Island and in the city of Brunswick. Wind gusts to tropical storm force impacted locations east of Interstate 95.

On 11/10 at 6:57 am, the ASOS at Brunswick McKinnon Airport (KSSI) measured a wind gust of 51 mph. AT 10 am, the USGS tide station at the St. Simons Island Village Pier recorded a peak storm surge of 3.67 ft MHHW datum. Major flooding begins at 3.5 ft MHHW at this location. At 10:34 am, Riverside Drive in Brunswick was flooded by storm surge per a public report. At 10:58 am, law enforcement reported that the FJ Torres Causeway to Saint Simons Island and the Sea Island Causeway was flooded due to storm surge flooding and was closed. At 11:19 am, Glynn County Emergency Management reported that U.S. Highway 17 from the base of the Sidney Lanier Bridge to Parkwood Drive was closed due to storm surge flooding. At 11:22 am, Glynn County Emergency Management reported that Bay Street and Mansfield Street were closed in the city of Brunswick due to storm surge flooding. At 11:24 am, Glynn County Emergency Management reported that the East Beach Causeway on Saint Simons Island was closed due to storm surge flooding. Ocean Road and Bruce Drive were also closed due to flooding. Arnold Avenue in the Village was closed due to storm surge. At 11:29 am, Glynn County Emergency Management reported storm surge was over the entrance area to the Jekyll Island Causeway. At 11:36 am Glynn County EMA reported that storm surge flood water was over the road on Glouscester Street and Lanier Blvd in Brunswick. The water was over the road on Lanier Blvd near Prince Street to near the Glynn County Middle School. At 11:46 am, Glynn County EMA reported that storm surge flood water was over the Blythe Island Parkway. At 11:58 am, Glynn County EMA reported that the beach crossover was destroyed on Jekyll Island. At 12 pm, the public reported that storm surge water was over the roadway and surrounded structures on St Simons Island. Water was possibly in some ground level structures. Also at noon, Glynn County EMA reported that storm surge flood water was at Two Way Fish Camp. At 12:03 pm, the public relayed a picture of public works equipment removing debris from the FJ Torras Causeway. Water subsided from the roadway in this area but debris management was ongoing. At 12:24 pm, Glynn County EMA reported that storm surge flood water covered some roadways on Oak Grove Island.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Nicole approached the SE FL Atlantic Coast and made landfall as a Category 1 near Vero Beach during the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, November 10th. Strong high pressure dominated NNE of the region ahead of Nicole on Wednesday, November 9th, which created strong onshore flow and gusty winds of 35-50 mph in a local 'nor'easter' type of event. This strong onshore flow combined with high astronomical tides 'charged' inland estuaries including the St. Johns River basin ahead of storm surge from Hurricane Nicole. Winds and ocean surge increased through Wednesday night with the peak of the storm surge along the local Atlantic Coast Thursday morning around high tide, then the surge peak down the St. Johns River through high tide Thursday afternoon. After landfall, Nicole weakened to a tropical storm as the center track WNW across central FL through the day Thursday then began a more northward turn across the central FL panhandle into Thursday night. The main local impacts from Nicole were storm surge inundation as well as tropical storm force wind damage.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1058005. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.