Tropical Storm — Coastal Nassau, Florida

2016-10-06 to 2016-10-08 · Coastal Nassau, Florida

Event narrative

Through the event, widespread tree, powerline and some structural damage was reported due to tropical storm force winds. Most of the wind damage was across coastal locations including Fernandina Beach. There were reports of trees down on structures as well.

The peak winds measured across the county included sustained 44 mph on 10/7 at 955 pm and a gust to 60 mph on 10/7 at 10:35 pm at the Fernandina Beach Airport. The Fernandina Beach NOS station measured a peak sustained wind of 39 mph on 10/7 at 11:18 pm and a max gust of 59 mph on 10/7 at 6 pm.

At 1530 edt on 10/7, the Fernandina Beach tide gauge reported a peak water level of 6.91 ft above NAVD88 datum. This was 4.32 ft above the predicted high tide of 2.59 ft NAVD88 datum. This value ranked as the third highest water level recorded at this gauge site behind the Oct. 2nd 1898 and Oct. 19th 1944 hurricanes. This value was also above both hurricanes Dora and Tropical Storm Jeanne. At 1830 EDT, the highest storm surge value along the NE Florida coast was measured at the Fernandina National Ocean Service tide gage at 9.89 ft NAVD88 datum.

Maximum storm tide measured at Fernandina Beach with a storm surge of 6.95 ft agl (tide 4.17 ft MHHW) on 10/7 at 3:30 pm. At the St. Marys River Entrance, the surge was 2.79 agl (tide 5.26 ft MHHW) on 10/7 at 6:30 pm. The Fernandina Beach Marine measured a surge of 0 ft agl and a tide of 3.0 ft MHHW on 10/7 at 3:30 pm. The Tiger Point Marina measured a surge of 0 ft agl and a tide of 3.0 ft MHHW on 10/7 at 4 pm. A1A at Egan's Creek measured a surge of 0 ft agl and a tide of 2.5 ft MHHW on 10/7 at 4 pm. The Egan's Creek Sadle measured a surge of 0 ft agl and a storm tide of 1.0 ft MHHW on 10/7 at 4 pm.

At 1945 EDT a tree fell on a street light and transformer at 14th and Atlantic. At 2100 EDT, two large trees were blown down on Old Dixie Highway near Irvin Avenue and completely blocked the road. At 2226 EDT on Oct 7th, a large tree and power lines were blown down on Atlantic Avenue on Amelia Island. At Ash and Front Street, a motel awning was blown up against a railroad crossing. At 1945 EDT, a gas station awning was blown over on 8th Street in Fernandina Beach.

A flash flood emergency was issued for the Egans Creek drainage at 1540 EDT as the surge and seiche impacts moved down the drainage. Extensive flooding of Fletcher Avenue occurred, specifically near the 600 block section which extended southward to the 1500 block of Fletcher Avenue and southward to Ocean Drive. These areas are just east of Egans Creek.

Moderate beach erosion was observed with 6-7 washouts near Ocean Blvd.

At this time, about $10 million in storm damage has been estimated across the county.

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 659398. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.