Jacksonville is heading into a soggy, windy Tuesday, with heavy rain, flood concerns and dangerous beach conditions all arriving at once. Temperatures will hover in the mid-70s as showers and thunderstorms spread across the city and northeast Florida.
The forecast calls for a high near 77 degrees, a 90% chance of rain and 1 to 2 inches of rainfall, with northeast winds of 9 to 14 mph and gusts reaching 23 mph. The National Weather Service in Jacksonville says locally heavier rain bands could create trouble for coastal and low-lying communities.
Rain And Flooding Take Center Stage
A Flood Watch is in effect from 10 a.m. through 8 p.m. Tuesday for Jacksonville and surrounding parts of northeast Florida. Forecasters warn that localized rainfall could reach 3 to 5 inches, increasing the risk of flooding in poor-drainage areas, creeks, streams and already waterlogged neighborhoods.
Rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue into Tuesday night, when temperatures settle near 72 degrees and the chance of precipitation remains around 80%. Drivers should avoid flooded roads, allow extra time for travel and never go around barricades or drive through water of unknown depth.
Beach Conditions Turn Dangerous
The coast has its own set of problems, including a Coastal Flood Advisory from noon Tuesday through early Thursday. A High Risk for Rip Currents begins Tuesday afternoon and continues through late Wednesday night, while a High Surf Advisory is expected to bring breaking waves of 6 to 8 feet from Tuesday evening into early Thursday.
Swimming and surfing conditions will be dangerous, especially for inexperienced swimmers. The National Weather Service recommends staying near a lifeguard, never swimming against a rip current and calling for help if you cannot escape one.
The Wet Pattern Hangs On
Wednesday brings a slight improvement but not a clean break, with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, a high near 80 and northeast gusts up to 26 mph. Thursday stays cloudy with another chance of rain, followed by a wetter stretch from Friday through Sunday, when rain chances range from 70% to 80% and highs climb from the upper 70s into the mid-80s.
The weather service is also monitoring a low-pressure system in the Gulf with a high chance of tropical development by midweek. Officials say it is too early to determine whether the system will have direct impacts on Jacksonville, but the local forecast already calls for several more days of rain, rough surf and elevated coastal flooding concerns.
