Situation Report on Hurricane Michael

At today’s 12:00 noon briefing, Historic City News reporters received the latest Situation Report on Hurricane Michael from St. Johns County Emergency Management spokesperson, Kelly Wilson. The next Situation Report will be issued tomorrow at 12:00 noon, unless conditions dictate an earlier report.

Although Florida Governor Rick Scott issued Executive Order 18-277 yesterday, Monday October 8, 2018, declaring a state of emergency, that declaration did not include St. Johns County. At this time, a local state of emergency declaration has not been made. There are no curfew orders.

Emergency Operations Center Manager and Director, Linda Stoughton, informed us that the center in St Johns County is currently operating at Activation Level 3 – meaning that at this time, they are “monitoring”.

Hurricane force winds, and heavy rainfall expected along the Northeastern Gulf Coast of Florida, today. Hurricane Michael is moving toward the north near 12-mph. A northward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a northeastward motion late today and Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of Michael will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico through tonight, then is expected to move inland over the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area on Wednesday, and then move northeastward across the southeastern United States Wednesday night and Thursday and move off the Mid-Atlantic coast away from the United States by Friday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is expected, and Michael is forecast to be a major hurricane at landfall in Florida. Weakening is expected after landfall as Michael moves through the southeastern United States. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.

Potential Local Impacts include:
• Tropical Storm force wind gusts possible. May result in sporadic power outages.
• Heavy rainfall. May cause areas of localized flooding
• Isolated Coastal Flooding possible.
• Extremely dangerous rip currents and rough surf are likely.
• Isolated tornadoes possible
• High Surf Advisory
• Coastal Flood Advisory in effect until Thursday.
• No Watches or Warnings have been issued for St. Johns County.
• No evacuations have been ordered.
• No shelters are open.

Weather Forecast

Today: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 4pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 84. Windy, with an east wind around 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 10pm and midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 80. Breezy, with an east wind 16 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Windy, with a southeast wind 11 to 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Other on-line briefings

National Hurricane Center – http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ This link will take you to their main page and you will see a map called Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Activity. This is an informational map that illustrates the current storms and possible areas of development. If you roll over the areas of development or existing storms you will get a brief overview.

National Weather Service Jacksonville – http://www.weather.gov/media/jax/briefings/nws-jax-briefing.pdf This link will take you to the latest tropical weather briefing for our area.