Strong Wind — Inland Duval, Florida

2016-02-24 · Inland Duval, Florida

Event narrative

Non-thunderstorm winds gusts between 40-50 mph were measured across Duval County during the early afternoon which caused tree damage and some structure damage. Around 1300, an NWS employee reported a tree down and blocking Lem Turner Blvd just north of I-295. Around 1407, county EM reported a tree was blown down onto a power line near the 8500 Block of Davis Road. The power line caught fire and caused a mobile home fire. Around 1415, a tree fell on power lines near the 4300 Block of McGrits Blvd. Also around 1415, a mesonet site at the Jacksonville Beach Pier measured a wind gust to 42 mph, and at 1428 Naval Air Station Jacksonville along the St. Johns River measured a wind gust to 47 mph. The cost of damage was unknown but estimated for the event to be included in Storm Data. The estimated is likely underestimated.

Wider weather episode

A warm front was located north of the Altamaha River with the entire forecast area within the warm sector of the approaching cold front. The marginally unstable airmass combined with forcing from the approaching surface front and a potent upper level low over the Tennessee River Valley drove a couple waves of severe storms across the area, one during the early morning hours with pre-squall line storms, then additional development in the afternoon over the coastal waters.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 616767. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.