The forecast area was positioned between high pressure over southern Florida and a cut-off low over the lower Mississippi River Valley and a moist southwest flow in the mid and upper levels. A very moist airmass and slow storm motion created a high heavy rainfall potential from afternoon and evening showers and storms that developed along the sea breezes and outflows.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS JAX wrote it up.
The forecast area was positioned between high pressure over southern Florida and a cut-off low over the lower Mississippi River Valley and a moist southwest flow in the mid and upper levels. A very moist airmass and slow storm motion created a high heavy rainfall potential from afternoon and evening showers and storms that developed along the sea breezes and outflows.
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 Sep 17, 1:42 PM EST, 3 hours 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
242 PM EDT THU SEP 17 2009
.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...
DEEP AND MOIST FLOW OUT OF THE WEST/SOUTHWEST AT MID/UPPER LEVELS
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE SHORT-TERM PERIOD. WHILE STEERING FLOW
WILL REMAIN GENERALLY OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST OFF THE ATLANTIC. THIS
WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD TO SCTD TO NUMEROUS SHOWER AND EMBEDDED TSTM
ACTIVITY EACH DAY WITH A SLOW REDUCTION IN POPS DOWN TO AROUND 50%
BY SUNDAY.
THE FORECAST CHALLENGE CONTINUES TO REMAIN THE THREAT OF LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL ACRS INLD SERN GA AND OTHER INLAND AREAS AND HAVE
CONTINUED FLOOD WATCH ACRS REGION THAT RECEIVED HEAVY RAINS LAST
NIGHT. ATLC SBRZ FRONT MOVING INLD WILL PROVIDE FOCUS AS IT RUNS
INTO GOMEX SBRZ FRONT OVER INLAND AREAS AND EXPECT ANOTHER ROUND OF
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. 12Z GFS RUN CONTINUES TO HAVE CONVECTIVE
FEEDBACK ISSUES...BUT INSISTS ON LARGE OMEGA/LIFT AND HEAVY RAINFALL
BULLSEYE ACRS CNTRL AND SRN GA THIS EVENING IN VICINITY OF CURRENT
FLOOD WATCH.
TEMPS CONTINUE TO RUN SIMILAR EACH DAY WITH MAX TEMPS IN THE
MID/UPPER 80S. THE ATLC COAST SBRZ FRONT WILL BE ACTIVE EACH DAY AS
IT MOVES INLAND AND WILL BE STRONGEST AS IT COLLIDES WITH WEST COAST
SBRZ FRONT AND FOCUS OF HIGHEST POPS EACH AFTERNOON WILL BE ALONG
THE I-75 CORRIDOR AND ACRS INLD SERN GA.
HAVE ISSUED COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY TO ACCOUNT FOR COMBO OF HIGHER
ASTRONOMICAL TIDES AND PERSISTENT ONSHORE FLOW ALONG THE COAST.
TIDES ARE RUNNING CLOSE TO 1 FT ABOVE NORMAL AND WILL NUDGE INTO
SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING NUMBERS THIS EVENING AND LIKELY AGAIN FRI
EVENING.
.LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...
BACK DOOR FRONT PUSHING DOWN THE ATLC SEABOARD EARLY NEXT WEEK WILL
STALL NORTH OF THE REGION...BUT WILL STILL SHIFT STEERING FLOW OUT
OF THE EAST WITH A LONG FETCH OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THIS IN
COMBINATION WITH ZONAL FLOW ALOFT AND SHORTWAVES EMBEDDED IN THE
FLOW WITH KEEP SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLD TSTMS POSSIBLE EACH DAY
WITH CONTINUED HUMID CONDITIONS AND MAX TEMPS IN THE MID/UPPER 80S.
&&
.AVIATION...MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS WILL BECOME TEMPO MVFR AND IFR IN
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. IFR
CIGS LIKELY TO DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT WITH PATCHY FOG.
&&
.MARINE...ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
WINDS AND SEAS WILL INCREASE EARLY NEXT WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE IS
REINFORCED OVER THE NORTHEAST STATES.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG 69 84 68 88 / 60 70 40 50
SSI 75 83 75 85 / 40 50 30 40
JAX 72 87 72 89 / 40 40 30 40
SGJ 74 87 74 87 / 20 30 20 40
GNV 70 90 70 91 / 40 50 20 60
OCF 70 90 70 91 / 30 50 20 60
&&
.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 6 PM TO 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR
DUVAL-FLAGLER-NASSAU-ST JOHNS.
GA...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR APPLING-ATKINSON-BACON-
COFFEE-JEFF DAVIS-PIERCE-WARE-WAYNE.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 6 PM TO 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR
COASTAL CAMDEN-COASTAL GLYNN.
AM...NONE.
&&
HESS/ZIBURA/PRESNALLHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 1100 AM EDT THU SEP 17 2009 FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-181000- 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- 1100 AM EDT THU SEP 17 2009 THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF INLAND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA... ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT THIS EVENING... ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS... WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY OVER INLAND AREAS OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS FURTHER EAST. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE NORTHWEST OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM JESUP TO WAYCROSS AND HOMERVILLE WHICH COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. A FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT. DUE TO LINGERING EASTERLY SWELLS...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE AREA BEACHES. IN ADDITION...MINOR COASTAL FLOODING MAY OCCUR THIS EVENING AROUND HIGH TIDE. PLEASE REFER TO THE COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FOR MORE INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY WITH A SLIGHT DECREASE IN RAIN CHANCES SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE MAIN CONCERNS WILL CONTINUE TO BE LIGHTNING...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS WITH STRONG STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO RELAY ANY SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL TOTALS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/JAX. ARS/JCH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
350 PM EDT THU SEP 17 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0345 PM HEAVY RAIN DIXIE UNION 31.34N 82.46W
09/17/2009 M5.75 INCH WARE GA TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED 5.75 INCHES FROM LAST NIGHT
HEAVY RAIN EVENT
&&
AWALKERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
411 PM EDT THU SEP 17 2009
FLZ021-022-035-172100-
COLUMBIA-GILCHRIST-SUWANNEE-
411 PM EDT THU SEP 17 2009
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHEASTERN
SUWANNEE...SOUTHWESTERN COLUMBIA AND NORTHERN GILCHRIST COUNTIES FOR
STRONG WINDS VALID UNTIL 500 PM EDT...
AT 412 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 3 MILES WEST OF FORT WHITE...OR 3 MILES
SOUTH OF ICHETUCKNEE SPRINGS STATE PARK...MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH.
THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND FORT WHITE...
HILDRETH AND ICHETUCKNEE SPRINGS STATE PARK THROUGH 500 PM EDT. GUSTY
WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR WIND
DAMAGE. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND
MINOR FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AREAS.
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
LAT...LON 3011 8283 3004 8260 2983 8264 2983 8265
2983 8266 2973 8266 2968 8266 2982 8289
TIME...MOT...LOC 2012Z 175DEG 13KT 2991 8276
ZIBURASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 521 PM EDT THU SEP 17 2009 FLZ022-030-031-036-172145- ALACHUA-BRADFORD-COLUMBIA-UNION- 521 PM EDT THU SEP 17 2009 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTHERN ALACHUA...WESTERN BRADFORD...SOUTHWESTERN UNION AND SOUTHERN COLUMBIA COUNTIES FOR STRONG WINDS VALID UNTIL 545 PM EDT... AT 521 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 4 MILES EAST OF OLENO STATE PARK...OR 5 MILES WEST OF WORTHINGTON SPRINGS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND OLENO STATE PARK... LA CROSSE...WORTHINGTON SPRINGS...DUKES AND BROOKER THROUGH 545 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR WIND DAMAGE. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND MINOR FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AREAS. REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. LAT...LON 3007 8245 2990 8223 2981 8248 2993 8264 TIME...MOT...LOC 2121Z 226DEG 7KT 2991 8250 ZIBURA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
617 PM EDT THU SEP 17 2009
FLZ031-036-172315-
ALACHUA-BRADFORD-
617 PM EDT THU SEP 17 2009
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTHERN ALACHUA
AND SOUTHERN BRADFORD COUNTIES FOR STRONG WINDS AND EXCESSIVE
LIGHTNING VALID UNTIL 715 PM EDT...
AT 618 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 5 MILES SOUTH OF BROOKER...OR 9 MILES NORTH OF
GAINESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND LA CROSSE...WALDO...BROOKER...
HAMPTON...NEW RIVER...SAMPSON AND STARKE THROUGH 715 PM EDT.
EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL
PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND MINOR FLOODING OF LOW-LYING
AREAS.
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
LAT...LON 2996 8230 3000 8216 2988 8205 2967 8231
2982 8246
TIME...MOT...LOC 2218Z 217DEG 14KT 2982 8231
SHULERThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
The Clay Electric Company Line Supervisor reported widespread power line damage due to thunderstorm winds across north and northeast portions of Alachua county. Lines were blown down along County Road 235 and County Road 231.
Law enforcement reported flooding in Hawthorne. Portions of Southeast Highway 301 near County Road 2028 had to be closed due to flooding.
A spotter reported 2.42 inches of rainfall in one hour (from 9-10 pm EDT).
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, September 2009
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: 188939, 188794, 188792.