JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Tropical Storm Fay, which never became a hurricane but has dropped a historic amount of rain over parts of Florida, made its third landfall in the state Thursday afternoon.
While the storm has been nearly stationary for the past 18 hours, it has drifted over Flagler Beach at 2 p.m.
Rain bands with the potential for flooding and tornados will continue for the rest of the day and through the night.
While the storm has been nearly stationary for the past 18 hours, it has drifted over Flagler Beach at 2 p.m.
Rain bands with the potential for flooding and tornados will continue for the rest of the day and through the night.
Northeast Florida, which has practically shut down for two days waiting for Fay to pass, is still waiting. Most counties have closed public schools for Friday, since tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain are expected to remain in the area overnight.
"This story has defied most odds," Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton said at 1:30 p.m. "We think the worst of the storm is yet to come. We've been saying that for days."
About 3:15 p.m., police closed the Buckman Bridge -- I-295 between Mandarin and Orange Park -- due to sustained winds above 40 mph.
Bridges over the Intracoastal Waterway between Jacksonville and the beaches are intermittently closed due to high winds.
Jacksonville police closed the Dames Point Bridge at 10:20 a.m. when sustained wind speeds exceeded 40 mph. The Bridge of Lions was closed at 11:15 a.m. due to tidal flooding in downtown St. Augustine.
A 2 a.m., the National Hurricane Center placed the center of the storm very near Flagler County and moving to the west-northwest at 2 mph. Fay's highest sustained winds remain near 60 mph. The forecast calls for the storm to slowly move inland through the afternoon and evening and drop up to 6 inches of rain over a broad area as Fay slogs across Flagler, St. Johns, Putnam and southern Clay counties. Some isolated areas could receive up to 12 inches of rain.
In addition to heavy downpours and resulting flooding across northeast Florida, winds of up to 50 mph are possible in squalls, as well as tornados and waterspouts.
"This story has defied most odds," Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton said at 1:30 p.m. "We think the worst of the storm is yet to come. We've been saying that for days."
About 3:15 p.m., police closed the Buckman Bridge -- I-295 between Mandarin and Orange Park -- due to sustained winds above 40 mph.
Bridges over the Intracoastal Waterway between Jacksonville and the beaches are intermittently closed due to high winds.
Jacksonville police closed the Dames Point Bridge at 10:20 a.m. when sustained wind speeds exceeded 40 mph. The Bridge of Lions was closed at 11:15 a.m. due to tidal flooding in downtown St. Augustine.
A 2 a.m., the National Hurricane Center placed the center of the storm very near Flagler County and moving to the west-northwest at 2 mph. Fay's highest sustained winds remain near 60 mph. The forecast calls for the storm to slowly move inland through the afternoon and evening and drop up to 6 inches of rain over a broad area as Fay slogs across Flagler, St. Johns, Putnam and southern Clay counties. Some isolated areas could receive up to 12 inches of rain.
In addition to heavy downpours and resulting flooding across northeast Florida, winds of up to 50 mph are possible in squalls, as well as tornados and waterspouts.
Winds gusts of 47 mph were recorded Thursday morning in St. Augustine; 44 mph at Mayport; 38 mph at Jacksonville International Airport, NAS Jacksonville and St. Simons Island, Ga.
Trees and power lines were down throughout the morning in Flagler County, where wind gusts as high as 49 mph were recorded.
At Atlantic Beach, two swimmers were rescued from the surf and hospitalized -- one in critical condition at Mayo Clinic Hospital.
In St. Augustine, a woman was trapped when a large oak tree fell on her car. She was cut out of the vehicle and transported to Flagler Hospital.
All of Channel 4's viewing area remains under a flood watch or warning through Friday afternoon, with Flagler and St. Johns counties upgraded to a flood warning.
A tropical storm warning remains up through the day from Flagler County to Altamaha Sound, near Brunswick, Ga.
Coastal and river flooding was expected to be greatest around periods of high tide -- which was just after noon Thursday along Jacksonville's beaches. The next high tide will be about midnight.
Trees and power lines were down throughout the morning in Flagler County, where wind gusts as high as 49 mph were recorded.
At Atlantic Beach, two swimmers were rescued from the surf and hospitalized -- one in critical condition at Mayo Clinic Hospital.
In St. Augustine, a woman was trapped when a large oak tree fell on her car. She was cut out of the vehicle and transported to Flagler Hospital.
All of Channel 4's viewing area remains under a flood watch or warning through Friday afternoon, with Flagler and St. Johns counties upgraded to a flood warning.
A tropical storm warning remains up through the day from Flagler County to Altamaha Sound, near Brunswick, Ga.
Coastal and river flooding was expected to be greatest around periods of high tide -- which was just after noon Thursday along Jacksonville's beaches. The next high tide will be about midnight.
Duval and Flagler County schools remain closed for a second day. On Thursday, public school systems in Alachua, Baker, Clay, Flagler, Putnam, Nassau and Union counties were also closed. Columbia County announced it would close schools early Thursday. All Catholic schools in the St. Augustine Diocese, most every private school and college in those counties were also closed Thursday.
Baker, Clay Columbia, Duval Nassau, Putnam and Union counties have decided to keep schools closed on Friday. Duval and other counties are expected to announce their plans for schools and government offices later in the day.
St. Johns County, which was scheduled to open schools on Friday, rescheduled its first day of classes for Monday. In St. Augustine, the Bridge of Lions was shut down early Thursday.
While there were no mandatory evacuations, the American Red Cross reports that about 350 people spent Wednesday night in shelters in Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties.
Baker, Clay Columbia, Duval Nassau, Putnam and Union counties have decided to keep schools closed on Friday. Duval and other counties are expected to announce their plans for schools and government offices later in the day.
St. Johns County, which was scheduled to open schools on Friday, rescheduled its first day of classes for Monday. In St. Augustine, the Bridge of Lions was shut down early Thursday.
While there were no mandatory evacuations, the American Red Cross reports that about 350 people spent Wednesday night in shelters in Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties.
**Jacksonville is in Duval County**
This article is from www.news4jax.com
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