Tropical Storm — Coastal Camden, Georgia

2016-10-06 to 2016-10-08 · Coastal Camden, Georgia

Event narrative

Tropical storm force winds impacted Camden County as Hurricane Matthew approached the county.

Maximum storm surge and storm tide included a surge of 3.65 ft at Sea Camp Dock with a peak storm tide of 7 ft relative to MHHW datum. A storm surge of 1.73 ft was measured at Satilla River with a storm tide of 5.11 ft MHHW datum.

Just before midnight on 10/7, a tree and powerline were blown down at Point Peter Road and the north River Causeway blocking the intersection.

Storm total 48 hour rainfall included 6.34 inches along the Satilla River at US Highway 17.

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 660849. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.