Forecasts of winds, storm surge from Nicole prompt Jacksonville cancelations, closures

Steve Patterson, Florida Times-Union
·2 min read

Winds could reach hurricane force in coastal St. Johns and Flagler counties Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported as the Jacksonville area prepares for the effects of Tropical Storm Nicole.

Sandbag distribution started in St. Johns County and Jacksonville officials canceled a Veterans Day parade and annual breakfast that had been scheduled for Friday, but public schools and local governments remained open with an eye on the approaching storm.

St. Johns officials announced a voluntary evacuation starting Wednesday morning for everyone in St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach and waterfront or flood-prone parts of the county's coastal areas.

In St. Augustine, a shelter will open Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center, 1300 Duval Street, and another for people with special medical needs will open at the county's health and human services building at 200 San Sebastian View.

In Jacksonville, San Jose schools and the Horizon Institute campuses announced they’d be closing Thursday and remain closed Friday for Veterans Day.

The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair plans to be closed Thursday and reopen at 3 p.m. Friday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said.

List of closings, cancellations: Tropical Storm Nicole: What we know about closings and cancellations in the Jacksonville area

“Currently, the biggest threat to our area is intense storm surge and flooding,” Curry said at a briefing where he said water three to five feet above ground levels could be possible in some inland areas as water is pushed into the St. Johns River and its tributaries.

Flags indicating that the water was closed to the public were displayed Monday for 300 feet on the north and south sides of the Jacksonville Beach Fishing pier. Lt. Maxwell Ervanian with Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue said the high level of calls around the pier made it the busiest area of the beach and prompted the closure, which could be repeated this week if hazardous surf conditions develop.

Waves at the beach could reach heights of 10 to 15 feet, Curry said, adding that “there are red-flag, high hazard conditions and people should stay out of the water.”

Curry said he expects to decide by Wednesday whether a local state of emergency is needed in Duval County, whose eastern portions are under a tropical storm warning.

No storm shelters have been opened, Curry said.

Water levels: Track real-time river water levels in Jacksonville area

Flags indicating that the water is closed to the public were displayed for 300 feet on the north and south sides of the Jacksonville Beach Fishing pier on Monday.
Flags indicating that the water is closed to the public were displayed for 300 feet on the north and south sides of the Jacksonville Beach Fishing pier on Monday.

Nicole is expected to come ashore well south of Jacksonville late Wednesday or early Thursday as a Category 1 hurricane and cross the peninsula before turning northeast without directly hitting the city, a National Weather Service forecast said.

The storm is expected to remain in Florida most of Thursday, then move north across Georgia and the Carolinas and reach Connecticut by Saturday morning, a forecast map said.

Rainfall totaling three to four inches is expected this week in Duval, Nassau, Baker and most of Clay counties, with four to six inches forecast in most of St. Johns as well as parts of Clay and Putnam counties and all of Flagler.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Nicole to bring 10-15-foot waves, 3-5-foot storm surge to Jacksonville