Coastal Flood — Coastal St. Johns, Florida

2021-11-05 to 2021-11-07 · Coastal St. Johns, Florida

Event narrative

Historic downtown St. Augustine and Anastasia Island had coastal flooding impacts.

On Friday, November 5th, at 10:15 am, broadcast media reported that Cordova Street and St. George Street where submerged and appeared impassable due to coastal flooding. There was a social media video. At 1 pm, broadcast media reported Cordova Street and Palm Row where flooded and appeared impassable. Nearby sidewalks were flooded. A picture was shared via social media. At 1:17 pm, broadcast media reported that waves were coming over the barrier and flooding the parking lot of the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument from the Matanzas River. The water was of unknown depth. A video was shared via social media.

On Saturday, November 6th, at 8:45 am an NWS Employee reported coastal flood water near Dolphin Drive and Arrendondo Avenue in Davis Shores. The water was about 1 ft in depth. The NWS employee also reported that the water from the Mantazas River was about to the top of the sea wall in historic St. Augustine about 1 hour before high tide, and the parking lot at the Castilla de San Marcos NM was flooded with about 1 ft of water. At 9:15 am, the NWS employee reported street flooding near Sebastian Harbor Drive and Malaga Street on the west side of Historic St Augustine near the San Sebastian River. Water was up and over the sidewalks. Around 9:15 am, the NWS reported street flooding near Riberia Street and Bravo Street with water over the sidewalks and into front yards. Flood water was also impacting areas near Riberia Street and De Haven Street. At 9:25 am, the NWS employee reported coastal flooding near Twine Street and Duero Street where water was up over the sidewalks and spilling into front yards. Around the same time, the NWS reported flooding near Riberia Street and South St. where water was flooding over the sidewalks. At 9:30 am, emergency management reported that coastal flood water was up to the roadbed off of the Florida East Coast Railway line, but trains could still safely pass. Around the same time, the NWS employee reported coastal flooding caused widespread street flooding in the Davis Shores area. Water was up and over curbs and flowing into front yards near Moultrie Place and Arricola Avenue. At 9:40 am, the NWS reported that coastal flood water was over South Street and Washington Street near the Maria Sanchez Lake and Creek, with a depth of about 1 foot. At 9:50 am, the NWS reported tidal flooding along Avenida Menendez leading up to the Bridge of Lions. Water was over the road and reached halfway up car tires. At 10:30 am, the NWS employee reported significant tidal flooding along Coquina Avenue in Davis Shores. Water was over yards and reaching homes. At 10:50 am, the county dispatch reported that the Bridge of Lions was closed to traffic due to coastal flooding impacts. At 11:03 am, the NWS employee reported tidal flooding along A1A in Crescent Beach. Docks, yards and sidewalks next to the road were under water. At 12:07 pm, ocean waves were breaking over the sea wall just south of the Matanzas Inlet and water was reaching residential streets. At 12:09 pm, the NWS employee reported major overwash and beach erosion at the Summer Haven Inlet north of Marineland. At 1:30 pm, the NWS reported that the breach/cut near the Old A1A south of Matanzas Inlet (Old Penon Inlet) reopened. In a public video on social media, the water from the Matanzas River was seen flowing back through this cut into the ocean. At 1:45 pm, broadcast media reported a dock on the intracoastal waterway was flooded and water was flowing into the backyard of the residence in Sawgrass along Roscoe Blvd. At 2:18 pm, broadcast media reported that Turtle Bay Lane in Ponte Vedra was flooded with about 1 foot of flood water. Water was up to the grill of a SUV.

On Sunday, November 7th, around 11:25 am, the broadcast media shared a social media post of significant beach erosion into structures along A1A North in Vilano Beach.

Wider weather episode

An area of low pressure developed across the southern Gulf of Mexico on Friday Nov. 5th and tracked eastward across north-central Florida Friday night, deepening offshore of the local NE FL Atlantic coast on Saturday Nov. 6th as strong surface high pressure wedged southward north of the region. This created a rare, true Nor'Easter event for the local area which including coastal and tidal flooding with inundation of 2-3 ft at high tides and damaging wind gusts, A High Wind Warning and Storm Warning for coastal and marine areas was issued. Localized heavy rainfall occurred for portions of coastal NE Florida. Moderate to major coastal erosion occurred. Coastal wind gusts of 40-50 mph started Friday morning then increased to 45-55 mph into Friday evening. The strongest winds of the event occurred for coastal NE FL Saturday morning, Nov. 6th, with sustained speeds 45-55 mph and gusts 60-70 mph. A peak wind gust of 68 mph was measured at the St. Augustine C-MAN station Saturday morning 11/6 around 06:30 am (peak sustained wind was 55 mph from the north) with a gust of 70 mph at 5:37 am at the Huguenot Park mesonet site. Moderate tidal flooding occurred along the local Atlantic coast with inundation of 2-3 feet.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 991569. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.