Tropical Storm — Flagler, Florida

2016-10-06 to 2016-10-08 · Flagler, Florida

Event narrative

Tropical storm conditions started to cause damage to the Flagler Beach Pier during the late afternoon of Thu. Oct. 6th when a couple of pylons were washed away. Around 0227 EDT on 10/7 the first tropical storm force wind gust of 47 mph was measured. During the predawn hours of The 7th, tropical storm force wind gusts of 47-62 mph were measured across Flagler county, mainly east of Bunnell toward Palm Coast and Flagler Beach. During the morning between 0700 and 1200 EDT, tropical storm force wind gusts increased to 57-83 mph at Marineland and Flagler Beach with the highest gusts of 76 and 83 measured at Flagler Beach and . The first reports of tree damage were reported around 0800 in Palm Coast. The boardwalk was being washed away in the Villages of Matanzas Shores around 0900 EDT. Storm surge started to flood coastal homes by 0900 EDT. At 1120 EDT, sustained 60 mph winds were measured at Flagler Beach. Reports of trees uprooted were reported in Palm Coast by noon, and hurricane force wind gusts up to 76 mph were measured by 1124 EDT at Flagler Beach. Around 1146 EDT, portions of coastal highway A1A near the beach were washed out in Flagler Beach. Between 1145 and 1200 EDT, measured gusts were 67-83 mph north of Palm Coast, with the measured wind gust of 83 mph recorded at Flagler Beach. By 1400 EDT, multiple ocean front structures had roof damage. Between 1400-1500 EDT, the end of the Flagler Beach pier was reported missing and A1A was washed out up and down the Flagler county coast. Between 1600-1700, Beverly Beach Surfside Estates had damage to about 60-70% of the trailers. At 1800 EDT, the Palm Coast Saltwater canal measured a storm surge depth of 6 feet, which was about 44 inches over the bulkhead.

The peak measured wind gust was 86 mph at 1243 EDT and 1246 EDT at Flagler Beach and north Palm Coast. There were multiple reports of wind gusts of 55-65 mph inland. A site located at Palm Coast measured a peak wind gust of 49 mph on 10/7 at 10:56 am.

Between 0800-0900 on 10/7, the sea was overtopping the sea wall at Marineland. Between 1000-1400, was was rising over the sea walls in Palm Coast, Marineland Acres and one person was trapped in their home in Sea Colony sue to the storm surge.

Additional storm surge reports included water into the Bull Creek Fish Camp Restaurant, and surge impacted areas north of Malacompra Road to the northern county line. Reports of a 5-6 ft water rise were reported in the Palm Coast canals. Inland flooding was reported in Haw Creek above Russell Landing with moderate flooding thresholds reached. The storm tide measured was 5.19 ft NAVD88 on Oct. 8 at 1 pm.

Maximum storm surge and storm tide values recorded relative to Mean Higher High Water (MHHW) datum included: Bing's Landing 5.19 ft storm surge and 5.85 ft storm tide on 10/7 at 6 pm; Surfside Estates 0 ft of storm surge with a tide of 2 ft on 10/7 at 8 am; Beverly Beach 0 ft of storm surge and 7 ft of storm tide on 10/7 at 8 am; Sea Colony 0 ft of Storm Surge with 4.5 ft of storm tide at 8 am on 10/7; 0.5 miles S of Marineland 0 ft of storm surge and 7 ft of storm tide; Palm Coast Section 'C' measured 0 ft of surge and 5.5 ft of storm tide on 10/7 at 8 am. All

Rainfall reports included 5.2 inches at the Flagler County EOC in Bunnell; 6.52 inches in Palm Coast; 6.0 inches 2 miles NE of Bunnell; 4.9 inches in St. Johns Park; 6.02 inches Pine Lakes of Palm coast; 5.8 inches in southwest Palm Coast; 4.28 inches 2 miles west of Palm Coast; 3.18 inches 1 mile ESE of Palm Coast.

A media post reported that 11 homes were completely destroyed and another 164 had major damage. About 300 homes had minor damage. In total there were over 1200 properties impacted by storm damage.

The cost of damage for private structures was near $73M. This cost estimated did not included infrastructure repairs or public structure repair.

Wider weather episode

Category 3 Hurricane Matthew track northward along the Florida Atlantic Coast Thursday October 7th, and then NNE remaining about 50 east of Mayport at the closest approach Friday morning October 8th. Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia only experienced tropical storm conditions with sustained speeds generally 35-55 mph with higher gusts up to 80 mph along coastal areas and the St. Johns River basin, with much weaker winds inland. Strong winds and flooding rainfall, as well as a 4-7 ft storm surge impacted much of coastal NE Florida and portions of SE Georgia. Storm total rainfall amounts ranged from up to near 10 inches in some coastal and St. Johns River basin counties...down to only 2-4 inches farther inland toward the I-75 corridor.

Water levels were already elevated along the St. Johns River for several days ahead of Matthew due to a local nor'easter. Water levels were very slow to drain out of the St. Johns River basin with major to moderate flooding ongoing for about 5-6 days in portions of Putnam and St. Johns counties due to the seiche affect and water being trapped in the estuary under persistent onshore flow after Matthew.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 659040. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.