Tropical Storm — Western Putnum, Florida

2024-10-09 to 2024-10-10 · Western Putnum, Florida

Event narrative

Major to minor damage was reported across the county, both from wind damage as well as river and rainfall flooding. Many homes had significant wind damage to roofs, fences, and carports.

Peak wind gusts of 40-55 mph occurred on Oct. 10th between 12-3 AM EDT. There was a 49 mph gust measured 2 WNW of Palatka on at 2:15 AM by the K28J Palatka Airport AWOS. There was also 40 mph measured in Hawthorne. Significant damage due to strong winds was reported across the county. Multiple large trees fell on houses causing significant roof and structural damage. A steeple was blown off of a church in Interlachen.

Heavy rainfall from Milton's rainbands the morning of Oct. 9th led to 2 to 4 inches of rain falling across much of Putnam county in a short time span (4 hours). On 10/10 at 2:30 am, a mesonet site in Palatka measured 6.3 inches of storm total rainfall. Peak storm total rainfall amounts of 6-7 inches were measured in Palatka and Satsuma.

The Putnam county sheriff's office issued a curfew after the storm due to widespread downed trees and powerlines and flooding in neighborhoods, at the peak near 20,000 people were without power in the county. Ahead of the storm, Putnam county urged residents who are likely to flood in Zones F and A to evacuate.

Wider weather episode

A tropical disturbance over the southwest Gulf of Mexico quickly developed into Tropical Storm

Milton on Saturday, October 5th. Milton then moved slowly east-southeastward, strengthening into a

hurricane the following day. On Monday, October 7th, the storm underwent rapid intensification,

reaching Category 5 strength as it neared the northwestern coast of Mexico's Yucatn Peninsula. Late

on Monday and into Tuesday, Milton shifted eastward and then northeastward across the

southeastern Gulf of Mexico.

As Milton approached Florida's Gulf coast on Wednesday, October 9th, it began to gradually weaken,

but still maintained major hurricane status. The storm made landfall that evening near Siesta Key on

Florida's west coast as a strong Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

While it weakened further as it crossed central Florida overnight, Milton remained a hurricane. By

early Thursday morning, October 10th, it emerged off Florida's Atlantic coast as a Category 1 storm.

Milton caused widespread impacts across north-central and northeast Florida, as well as coastal

southeast Georgia. Flagler County, along with large portions of St. Johns, Putnam, and Marion

counties, experienced sustained tropical storm-force winds and hurricane-force gusts. Rainfall

amounts ranged from 7 to 11 inches as outer rainbands and the storm's powerful northern side

swept through these areas late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning.

This heavy rainfall caused Deep Creek, a tributary of the St. Johns River in St. Johns County, to reach

record levels on Thursday, October 10th, surpassing the previous record set during Hurricane Irma in

2017. This led to extensive flooding throughout the southern half of St. Johns County, particularly in

the Flagler Estates community and the towns of Hastings and Spuds. Additionally, record flooding was

observed along Haw Creek in western Flagler County, exceeding the previous record set in the

aftermath of Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Storm surge flooding of around 3 feet above Mean Higher High Water (MHHW) was recorded along

the St. Johns River and the northeast Florida coast. Significant inundation was reported along the

lower St. Johns River, with widespread flooding in areas such as Welaka, FL.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1219126. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.