JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tropical Storm Warnings have expired for inland areas. A sliver of warnings continue from I-95 to the beaches. These should expire around 11 am, noon at the latest.
The headlines are alarming, Tropical Storm Warning, the implications would be for winds 40 mph or greater (all the way to 73 mph). Yes, that is rather concerning. The reality is we will see a few gusty winds and traveling over some of the taller bridges will be a little challenging.
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No bridge closures are expected.
In general, Thursday will be a rapidly changing day with gusty winds 15-20 and gusts to 35-40 mph.
The rains will be primarily in the morning hours. Rainfall amounts will be fairly light as the tropical storm quickly moves across the area. The weather rule here? A faster tropical storm is typically more windy than wet. Conversely, the slower tropical storm system is more rainy than windy.
Who will see the worst? Those who are mainly east and south of the final track. This would include Clay, St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler counties. As the afternoon rolls on, sunshine will break through the heavy morning cloud cover. This is how the day will end, on a positive.
Timing: The worst of the weather for Jacksonville should be from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. The rains will not be constant but come in waves. It will be a super tropical feeling day with high humidities, gusty winds will be shifting around from southeast to south to northwest through the lunch hour, basically, as Eta passes Jacksonville. Wind gust in some downpours may reach 40 mph, a more general 20-30 mph is expected.
Once again, despite the occasional gusty winds, no bridge closures are expected.
Friday, conditions rapidly improve, sunshine, breezy morning and a rather hot afternoon. Morning lows will be only in the upper 60s, afternoon highs will be in the mid-upper 80s. Winds will diminishing throughout the day, morning westerly winds may be up to 20 mph. The weekend is looking summer-like with partly cloudy skies and highs well into the 80s. Surf will be fading but a small ground swell will still be pumping Saturday morning. There will also be an afternoon shower or two both days.
Eta will hopefully be it for Jacksonville and this hurricane season, then again, Iota will be forming not too far way from where Zeta and Eta both developed. Doh!