JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Saturday’s Weather Authority Alert has expired.
A Tornado Watch was issued Saturday morning for Jacksonville, including other parts of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.
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The watch included Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties in Florida. In Southeast Georgia: Camden, Charlton, Glynn, Pierce and Ware counties were included.
About 6:30 a.m., the watch was canceled for Baker County, along with Charlton, Pierce and Ware counties.
At 7:35 a.m., the watch was canceled for Nassau and Union counties, as well as Glynn County. Alachua and Bradford counties followed shortly thereafter.
About 9:15 a.m., the watch was canceled for Duval, St. Johns, Clay and Putnam counties.
The watch for Flagler County was canceled about 9:50 a.m.
The dam burst over the past few days
Rainfall has been very heavy. Officially at Jacksonville International Airport, we have seen 3.91 inches of rain over the past four days, and it’s still raining. Over the entire winter, we saw 4.88 inches.
By lunchtime Saturday, we could be over 5 inches in just five days.
Severe Saturday morning sunrise
Possible tornadoes, severe thunderstorm winds and possible hail.
A powerful cold front will blow through mid-morning Saturday and with it comes the potential for brief and intense downpours. The threat is less on the rain amounts and more on the intensity or severity of the storms.
We were under a Tornado Watch for the possibility of an isolated tornado and a high possibility of severe thunderstorms, along with damaging gusty winds to over 55 mph and moderate size hail. Rainfall will be briefly intense, along with lightning and thunder.
Saturday morning’s weather pattern is such that tornado development can be swift and intense. Always have a room in mind that can be your go-to spot or “safe room.” It should be a room without windows, if possible. If a tornado has been spotted and a tornado warning is in effect, get to this spot and wait until the warning is over.
But wait! There is more!
By 10 a.m., in the wake of the storms, non-thunderstorm winds will be very strong. Northwesterly winds will briefly gust up to 35 mph and a Gale Warning is in effect for coastal waters as winds may exceed 40 mph sustained, with higher gusts possible.
Additionally, temperatures will drop, and continuously. Many areas will only be in the 50s, even at The Players.