Up to 2 inches of rain Thursday from a passing cold front have left standing water on some downtown streets.
The heaviest rain has moved south of Jacksonville, but Duval County is under a flood warning through 6:15 p.m. Hogan's Creek overflowed it's banks and left Market Street and other downtown roads flooded.
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Jacksonville's Public Works Department said they are working for a long-term solution to flooding along Hogan's Creek, which overflows its banks during any heavy rainfall, but the water runs off the roads quickly.
UPDATE 2 p.m. Thursday:
Good news and bad news.
The heaviest rains are now south of Jacksonville, but expect another 3-4 hours of rainy conditions. This will last through the early evening commute. Already there have been a number of minor accidents that have tied up traffic for up to an hour.
Update 11 AM:
Cold front reached Jacksonville late morning. Potentially heavy rain will be moving through the our through the afternoon.
Moderate to heavy rain along with isolated thunderstorms will move through, with rainfall accumulation averaging 1-3 inches, with isolated amounts slightly higher, especially where thunderstorms form. The risk of severe weather will remain on the low end of the scale, but temporary flood will remain a possibility through evening.
Heaviest rain should end by 3 p.m. in metro Jacksonville and and late afternoon in St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler counties, followed by few hours of lighter rain and chilling temperatures.
South of Jacksonville: Palatka, St. Augustine, Palm Coast
A different story, as warmer temperatures will fuel a few thunderstorms, one or two of these may become severe, with gusty winds to 60 mph and torrential downpours. Timing for these storms (if they develop) would be after lunch until 8pm.
Tornado near Fort Stewart, Georgia on Monday
Even though there was no tornado watch issued for the possibility of severe storms or tornadoes, three storms went severe Wednesday afternoon in the Alma to Jesup to Savannah Georgia area. One clearly dropped a tornado as seen by storm spotters. No injuries reported, tornado was on the ground for about 10 minutes.
UPDATE 4 p.m. Wednesday:
For Jacksonville, we have had near record warmth and dry conditions, making today a really nice day for early February. Yet, just north of Waycross, cold winter air is mixing with our warmth. Tornado has been detected by radar as thunderstorms there have shown some rotation. The tornado warning was for Coffee and Bacon counties, Georgia.
It's official:
Thursday, from noon until 8 p.m. will be a Weather Authority Alert Day due to possible heavy rains. Rainfall amounts may be up to 2", most will see around an inch.
The impact will be mainly on outdoor activities that may be canceled or have to be moved indoors. Also, traffic maybe impacted as well, from delays due to hydroplaning on the roadways.
Here we go again!
Strap on your seat belts for diving temperatures and stay alert for possible severe weather watches and warnings over the next 36 hours (thru Thursday evening).
Wednesday morning, breathe it in, the nice temperatures, sunshine.
But first, let's all step outside today and enjoy the warm temperatures and whatever sunshine that we can enjoy! This morning, things to add to your list might include lunch outside, maybe top off your tank of gas on the way home.
But, a massive storm system that brought blizzard conditions over about 1,000 miles, across the Mid-West to the northern Great Lakes, also had a trail of severe storms. On Tuesday, tornadoes, severe winds and hail were reported all across Mississippi and Alabama. Tornado watches (watching for the possibility of tornadoes) are still in effect in Alabama and the tornado watch will likely be pushed into parts of Georgia. Nearly 10 tornadoes were tracked on Tuesday.
So, starting as early as noon, a tornado watch maybe placed into effect for the Florida Panhandle north to Macon Georgia, including Waycross and Valdosta, possibly as far east as Lake City. The tornado watch would be in effect until the current storms fade, maybe after 8 p.m. Now, this is just a forecast, and a tornado watch may not be placed into effect for those areas, I just have a strong hunch it will. If you live out west of Jacksonville, stay very alert to rapidly changing conditions as storms roll through your area starting after 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, here in Jacksonville. We should be under cloudy skies and very warm temperatures, approaching 80° and just a "pop-up" shower possible as we head into the evening hours.
But, then it will be our turn!
Thursday will be a WAAD day!
The Weather Authority is declaring Thursday a Weather Authority Alert Day, for moderate to heavy rains.
Later this evening, starting after 8 p.m. storms will fade as they approach Jacksonville. They will fade and then become a wide area of moderate to heavy rains that will fall from early, pre-dawn, Thursday until after lunch Thursday. Amounts won't be huge, but will be enough to cancel a few outdoor events and cause traffic issues, especially at times when downpours occur.
In Jacksonville, expect about 1-2" of rain before it's all said and done Thursday evening.
Oh, but that's not all that will happen on Thursday.
It will also be an "upside-down" day as our warmest temperatures will occur after midnight tonight and then temperatures will hold steady before dropping into the 50s, possibly the 40s by 8 p.m. Thursday evening. Making the combination of rains and cold temperatures, just "raw" to be outside.
And then there is this weekend's weather.
Rains return and there is even the possibility that Super Bowl Sunday's temperatures will remain only in the 40s, with gusty winds and misty/drizzly rains. More on this later...