Flooding and High Surf in Florida, May 18 to 24, 2009

Name: Flooding and High Surf in Florida, May 18 to 24, 2009
Start: 2009-05-18T15:16
End: 2009-05-24T23:59
Location: Florida

May 18 to 24, 2009 · NWS JAX · 14 events in 8 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $100
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS JAX wrote it up.

A strong cold front pushed southward into the central Florida Peninsula on Monday, May 18th with unseasonably strong high pressure building in behind it. An unseasonably strong non-tropical low pressure system developed over the Bahamas and began to track in a northwesterly direction toward the region. The strong pressure gradient between the high and low pressure systems brought strong winds to the coastal areas and excessive rainfall to portions of north Florida through Sunday, May 24th.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 18, 2:50 PM EST, 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 18, 2:50 PM EST, 26 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
350 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2009

.UPDATE...WILL ISSUE FLOOD WATCH FOR THE EASTERN COUNTIES OF NE FL
THRU WED...INCLUDING JAX METRO AREA. ANTICIPATING MULTIPLE PERIODS
OF MODERATE-HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THE NEXT 48 HRS...WITH CONSIDERABLE
POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING.

-----------------------------------------

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-THURS)...SURFACE ANALYSIS INDICATING COLD FRONT
NEARLY STATIONARY JUST SE OF THE AREA BETWEEN AN INVERTED TROUGH
OFFSHORE THE FL EAST AND AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE EAST CENTRAL
GULF OF MEXICO. THE STRONG NNE CONVERGING FLOW ALONG AND JUST NORTH
OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY...IN COMBINATION WITH A MID TO UPPER TROUGH
OF LOW PRESSURE...HAS PRODUCED A BAND OF WIDE SPREAD SHOWERS ACROSS
THE SE ZONES WITH INTERMITTENT LIGHT RAIN AND DRIZZLE ELSEWHERE.
MODELS IN INITIAL AGREEMENT ON CLOSING OFF MID/UPPER LOW ACROSS WEST
CENTRAL FL TUES AND BEGIN MOVING IT WEST THEN DISAGREE AFTER THAT.
THE NAM MOVES CLOSED LOW WEST AND DEVELOPS SFC LOW NEAR BAHAMAS AND
MOVES IT ACROSS S FL WED AND GULF THURS WHILE GFS HAS SFC LOW
TRACKING FURTHER NORTH TO ACROSS NE FL BY 12Z THURS. REGARDLESS
WHICH SOLUTION PANS OUT...POTENTIAL FOR POSSIBLE HEAVY RAIN EVENT
ACROSS NE FL WITH HEAVIEST AMOUNTS IN SE ZONES.  FLOOD WATCHES MAY
HAVE TO BE ISSUED IN LATER FORECASTS DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS EVOLVE.
OTHER MAIN CONCERNS WILL BE ROUGH SURF...RIP CURRENTS...AND POSSIBLE
BEACH EROSION AND MINOR FLOODING DURING HIGH TIDE.

.LONG TERM (FRI-MON)...NO SIG CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED WERE MADE.
AVERAGE OF MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW SFC LOW OVER THE ERN GULF OF MEXICO
THU WHILE PUSHING IT W OR NW ON FRI AROUND THE SW PERIPHERY OF
MID-UPPER  LEVEL HIGH OFF THE NC/VA COAST. WHAT THIS SPELLS FOR US
IS A MOIST AND UNSTABLE SELY FLOW AND RESULTS IN CONTINUE NORMAL TO
ABOVE NORMAL RAIN CHANCES. TEMPS WILL START TO RETURN CLOSE TO
NORMAL BUT LOOK TO BE SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. WE CONTINUE TO
SEE A RATHER UNSETTLED PATTERN ON THE WEEKEND WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPS
AND AT LEAST 30-40% RAIN CHANCES.

&&

.AVIATION...IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS WILL EXTEND THROUGH THIS TAF CYCLE
AS POTENT ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW IN COOL...MOIST
CONDITIONS. MAY NEED LLWS FOR TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY FOR THE INLAND
TAF SITES WHERE  SURFACE-BASED WINDS WILL SUBSIDE OVERNIGHT WHILE
REMAINING STRONG AOA 1 KFT.

&&

.MARINE...GALE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE LOCAL WATERS DUE TO
EITHER SUSTAINED WINDS TO GALE FORCE OR FREQUENT GUSTS. A VERY TIGHT
PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL EXTEND THROUGH AT LEAST MID-WEEK IN RESPONSE
TO STRONG HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE TO
THE SOUTH. FREQUENT GUSTS TO GALE FORCE CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH LATE
WEDNESDAY WITH SEAS AS HIGH AS 16 FEET OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS. THE
FORECAST IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT UPON THE EVOLUTION OF THIS LOW AND
MARINERS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG  50  73  57  77 /  10  30  40  40
SSI  59  69  65  74 /  30  50  60  50
JAX  57  70  64  76 /  40  60  60  60
SGJ  64  72  69  77 /  60  70  80  60
GNV  58  73  62  79 /  40  60  60  60
OCF  59  74  63  80 /  50  60  70  60

&&

.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR DUVAL-FLAGLER-
     NASSAU-ST JOHNS.

     LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR CLAY-PUTNAM.

GA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR COASTAL CAMDEN-
     COASTAL GLYNN-INLAND CAMDEN-INLAND GLYNN.

AM...GALE WARNING UNTIL 5 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER
     BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER
     BEACH FL OUT 20 NM.

     GALE WARNING UNTIL 5 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO
     FERNANDINA BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-ALTAMAHA SOUND
     GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL OUT 20 NM-FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST
     AUGUSTINE FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST
     AUGUSTINE FL OUT 20 NM.

&&

PP/ECZ/AW/PLW

Hazardous weather outlook, May 18, 3:16 PM EST, 0 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
416 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2009

FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-191000-
ALACHUA-APPLING-ATKINSON-BACON-BAKER-BRADFORD-BRANTLEY-
CAMDEN (COASTAL)-CAMDEN (INLAND)-CHARLTON-CLAY-CLINCH-COFFEE-
COLUMBIA-DUVAL-ECHOLS-FLAGLER-GILCHRIST-GLYNN (COASTAL)-
GLYNN (INLAND)-HAMILTON-JEFF DAVIS-MARION-NASSAU-PIERCE-PUTNAM-
ST JOHNS-SUWANNEE-UNION-WARE-WAYNE-
416 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2009

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT...

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT TODAY FOR THE COASTAL WATERS...
...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL COUNTIES AS WELL AS
CLAY AND PUTNAM COUNTIES...
...FLOOD WATCH FOR EASTERN PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA...
...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT AREA BEACHES...

AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG COLD FRONT HAS EXITED SOUTH. THE DEPARTURE OF
THIS FEATURE COUPLED WITH STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING TO THE NORTH
WILL PRESENT A STRONG NORTHEAST FLOW REGIME. SHOWERS WILL REMAIN
MOST NUMEROUS OVER NORTHEAST FLORIDA AS STRONG DYNAMICS TRAIL THE
SURFACE COLD FRONT ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL. AREAS OF FLOODING MAY DEVELOP ESPECIALLY OVER COASTAL
COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE
SOUTH OF A GAINESVILLE TO ST. AUGUSTINE LINE.

THE STRONG NORTH AND NORTHEAST FLOW EXPECTED TODAY HAS RESULTED
IN THE ISSUANCE OF GALE WARNINGS FOR THE COASTAL WATERS AND
LAKE WIND ADVISORIES FOR THE COASTAL COUNTIES AS WELL AS CLAY AND
PUTNAM COUNTIES TODAY AND EXTENDING INTO TONIGHT. IN ADDITION...A
MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IS EXPECTED AT AREA BEACHES AS WINDS
AND SURF INCREASE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...

LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING SOUTH OF THE REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY IS
EXPECTED TO TRACK WESTWARD INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. THIS
WILL SUPPORT GOOD CHANCES OF HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THE COASTAL
COUNTIES AND OVER SOME INLAND SECTIONS OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA. THE
MAIN CONCERNS AT THIS TIME FROM TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ARE EAST
AND NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. LATEST PROJECTIONS
THROUGH THURSDAY INDICATE HEAVIEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS TO BE OVER ST
JOHNS...CLAY...PUTNAM AND FLAGLER COUNTIES. AREAS OF FLOODING MAY
DEVELOP. GALE CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE IN THE COASTAL
WATERS THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY.

HIGH SURF CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AS WELL BY EARLY TUESDAY AND
CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY RESULTING IN BEACH EROSION PROBLEMS...RIP
CURRENTS...AND POSSIBLY MINOR COASTAL FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS
ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND IN HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/JAX.

ARS/ECZ/MZ

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 18, 3:04 PM EST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
404 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0300 PM     HEAVY RAIN       E PALM COAST            29.57N 81.21W
05/18/2009  M4.50 INCH       FLAGLER            FL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            EMERGENCY MANAGER RELAYED REPORTS OF AROUND 4 1/2 INCHES
            OF RAINFALL IN THE PALM COAST AREA IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD
            ENDING AT 3 PM EDT.

&&

SHULER

The radar

The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flood, 4 heavy rain, 4 high surf, 1 strong wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Flagler

When: May 18, 3:16 PM EST to May 24, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Flagler County, 1.15 mi SSE of Marineland to 0.42 mi NE of Andalusia
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 29.644, -81.205

Heavy rainfall began in Flagler County on Sunday, May 17th associated with a cold frontal passage with between one and three inches of rain falling by Monday morning. The rainfall increased on Monday with four and a half inches having fallen by 3 p.m. EDT/2 p.m. EST. Due to moist antecedent ground conditions flooding began quickly with County Road 35 west of Bunnell washed out near State Road 100. By Tuesday morning, the 19th, up to eleven and a half inches of rain had fallen with continuing flooding problems continuing. Heavy rainfall continued on Wednesday with up to 24 inches of rain having fallen since Sunday at the Fair Grounds. The rain finally began to slowly taper off on the 21st and 22nd; however, by the end of the event up to 28 inches of rainfall was reported by the school staff in downtown Bunnell (the County Seat). Extensive flooding was reported to multiple roads in Daytona North with over three feet of water on some. Several residents had to be rescued from flooded homes in that area. Significant roads that were reported as having been flooded and closed are County Road 75, County Road 65, Forest Park Rd, Tangerine Rd, County Road 15, and Water Oak Road. In western Flagler County including Deanville, Andulusia, Cody’s Corner massive flooding of agricultural property was reported with many fields resembling lakes. Many side roads were reported as being underwater including Otis Stone Hunter Road, Hardgrove Grade (west of the Florida East Coast railroad tracks).

Heavy Rain, Bradford

When: May 19, 5:00 AM EST to May 20, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Bradford County, 0.6 mi W of Starke
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 29.950, -82.110

A Cooperative Observer reported three inches of rain in a twenty four hour period.

Heavy Rain, Marion

When: May 19, 5:00 AM EST to May 20, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Marion County, Orange Spgs
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 29.500, -81.950

A Cooperative Observer reported 3.69 inches of rain in a twenty four hour period ending at 6:00 a.m. EDT or 5:00 a.m. EST.

Heavy Rain, Putnam

When: May 19, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
Where: Putnam County, 0.69 mi N of Crescent City
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 29.440, -81.520

A Cooperative Observer measured 5.51 inches of rain during the 24 hour period from May 19th through May 20th at 5:00 a.m. EST or 6:00 a.m. EDT.

High Surf, Duval

When: May 19, 5:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Duval forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee

A local surf shop reporting eight foot breakers at 6:00 a.m. EST and Park rangers reported moderate beach erosion at Talbot Island State Park during the morning. Some boards were removed by wave action from the Jacksonville Beach Pier; however, these boards were designed to break off in high surf to avoid damage to the pier structure. High surf of five to seven feet for the near shore breakers and seven to ten feet for the offshore breakers was reported by and National Weather Service employee during the afternoon. A strong long shore current of approximately three to four knots was also reported.

High Surf, Nassau

When: May 19, 5:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Nassau forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 30.611, -81.771 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Significant beach erosion was reported at Fort Clinch. There was barely space for a vehicle on a normally wide beach. Breakers of six to seven feet were estimated at that time.

High Surf, St. Johns

When: May 19, 5:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: St. Johns forecast zone
Reported by: Public

High surf was reported by the public with wave action completely covering the beach and washing up into the dune line. No beach was visible at the time of the report.

High Surf, Flagler

When: May 19, 5:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Flagler forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 29.471, -81.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Minor beach erosion with breakers of six feet were reported during the morning.

Strong Wind, Duval

When: May 19, 11:26 AM EST
Where: Duval forecast zone
Measured: 47 kt (54 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $100
Reported by: NWS Employee

The Jacksonville Beach Pier wind gage measured a 54 mph winds gust while a National Weather Service employee was on the pier. Some minor damage to the pier bait house.

Flood, St. Johns

When: May 19, 3:30 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: St. Johns County, 0.78 mi N of St Augustine to 0.99 mi N of St Augustine
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 29.891, -81.319

A section of King Street between Ponce De Leon Blvd. and Riberia Road was closed due to flooding as a result of heavy rainfall and an above normal high tide.

Heavy Rain, Alachua

When: May 20, 6:00 AM EST to 11:36 AM EST
Where: Alachua County, 1.2 mi W of Gainesville North
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 29.670, -82.340

A large oak tree fell on a gas line of a residential structure due to heavy rain and saturated ground conditions.

Flood, Duval

When: May 20, 1:32 PM EST to May 21, 7:15 AM EST
Where: Duval County, 1.51 mi NNW of Cambon to 0.24 mi WNW of Jacksonville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 30.350, -81.810

Flooding was been reported in homes on the Westside of Jacksonville on 105th Street. 2 inches of standing water was reported in some homes near the Ramona Road Flea Market. Later that afternoon McCoys Creek flooded with McCoys Creek Road and portions of Kings Street shut down. Also several homes in the 9000 block of Hecksher Drive were flooded during the evening.

Flood, Duval

When: May 21, 7:15 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Duval County, 1.59 mi SE of Jacksonville to 1.57 mi SE of Jacksonville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 30.333, -81.652

Several streets near downtown wee closed due to flooding. Major areas closed were the 800 to 900 block of Market Street, the 800 to 900 block of Hubbard Street and the 000 to 100 block of Orange Street. Also portions of Lem Turner Road were closed due to flooding.

Funnel Cloud, Marion

When: May 23, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Marion County, 3.51 mi N of Marion Oaks
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 29.050, -82.190

The general public reported a funnel cloud which dissipated before reaching the ground.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
High Surf: Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, May 2009

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 172972, 172977, 172978, 172985, 172992, 172994, 172995, 172996, 173000, 172983, 172975, 172988, 172990, 172979.