Thunderstorm Wind in Clay County, Florida

Numerous trees and powerlines were reported down across the Orange Park area due to a downburst that began near Asbury Lake. Multiple trees fell on homes destroying the roofs along Rusmor St, Debarry Ave and Warren Ct. A tree fell on a car in Orange Park damaging the vehicle. Time was estimated by radar. AWOS station KNIP Jacksonville Nas measured a gust of 61 mph at 157 PM EST.

A strong cold front moved through the southeast US as a deep mid/upper level trough shifted eastward from the lower Mississippi valley into the deep south. Ahead of the front, there was ample instability, low level helicity, and shear with cool temperatures aloft. A tornado watch was in effect for much of northeast Florida and southeast Georgia on March 16, 2026. Early morning convection and persistent cloud cover in southeast Georgia limited the severe threat due to a lack of diurnal instability. Pre-frontal convection developed in northeast Florida around 12 PM then strengthened and converged into a line as it moved eastward toward the northeast Florida coast between 1-2:45 PM. Then, a squall line along the cold front swept across northeast Florida bringing damaging straight line winds ranging from 45 to 70 mph between 1:30 - 4:30 PM. Convection shifted off the coast by 5 PM.