Very strong high pressure over Canada and a coastal trough offshore brought a very strong pressure gradient along the local coastline. Wind gusts of 30-40 mph and persistent onshore flow combined with high tides brought waves of coastal flooidng and beach erosion, especially to the South Ponte Vedra beach coastline which is historically problematic during strong NE flow events.
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.
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.
Very strong high pressure over Canada and a coastal trough offshore brought a very strong pressure gradient along the local coastline. Wind gusts of 30-40 mph and persistent onshore flow combined with high tides brought waves of coastal flooidng and beach erosion, especially to the South Ponte Vedra beach coastline which is historically problematic during strong NE flow events.
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 Dec 8, 9:28 AM EST, 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
928 AM EST MON DEC 8 2014
.UPDATE...
ELEVATED WINDS AT THE LAND/SEA INTERFACE HAS INSPIRED A WIND
ADVISORY FOR COASTAL NE FL. EXPECT THE GRADIENT TO WEAKEN INTO THE
AFTERNOON...WHICH WILL RESULT IN DECREASING WINDS. AS AN UPPER
TROUGH MOVES EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...THE CHANCE FOR
SHOWERS WILL INCREASE.
CLOUDS WILL BE PERSISTENT THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WHICH WILL KEEP
TEMPERATURES FROM MODERATING MUCH.
&&
.AVIATION...
GUSTY CONDITIONS WITH MVFR CIGS WILL CONTINUE TODAY. IFR AND LOWER
WILL BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT.
&&
.MARINE...
WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE SOMEWHAT INTO THE AFTERNOON AS THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT BEGINS TO WEAKEN. THEREFORE...PLAN TO LET THE
GALE WARNING EXPIRE ON TIME.
RIP CURRENTS: HIGH RISK TODAY DUE TO ROUGH SEAS AND GUSTY WINDS IN
A STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG 52 37 59 36 / 20 10 10 0
SSI 57 43 59 42 / 20 10 10 0
JAX 61 43 61 40 / 20 10 10 0
SGJ 64 47 62 44 / 20 10 10 0
GNV 64 42 63 39 / 20 10 10 0
OCF 67 44 66 41 / 20 10 10 0
&&
.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...RIP CURRENT RISK UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR DUVAL-FLAGLER-
NASSAU-ST JOHNS.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR DUVAL-FLAGLER-
NASSAU-ST JOHNS.
GA...RIP CURRENT RISK UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COASTAL
CAMDEN-COASTAL GLYNN.
AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST TUESDAY FOR ALTAMAHA SOUND
GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-
FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST AUGUSTINE FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-
ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ALTAMAHA SOUND GA
TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-FERNANDINA
BEACH TO ST AUGUSTINE FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-ST
AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM EST TUESDAY FOR ALTAMAHA SOUND
GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL OUT 20 NM-FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST
AUGUSTINE FL OUT 20 NM-ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL OUT
20 NM.
&&
STRUBLE/SHASHYHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 818 AM EST MON DEC 8 2014 AMZ450-452-454-470-472-474-FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040- GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-091000- ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL OUT 20 NM- FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST AUGUSTINE FL OUT 20 NM- ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL OUT 20 NM- ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST AUGUSTINE FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-HAMILTON- SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-ST JOHNS- GILCHRIST-ALACHUA-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-MARION-COFFEE-JEFF DAVIS-BACON- APPLING-WAYNE-ATKINSON-WARE-PIERCE-BRANTLEY-INLAND GLYNN- COASTAL GLYNN-ECHOLS-CLINCH-CHARLTON-INLAND CAMDEN-COASTAL CAMDEN- 818 AM EST MON DEC 8 2014 ...GALE WARNING FOR THE OFFSHORE WATERS THROUGH 10 AM... ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ALL COASTAL WATERS THROUGH TONIGHT... ...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY AND POSSIBLY AGAIN ON TUESDAY... ...MINOR COASTAL FLOODING POSSIBLE NEAR THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE TODAY... ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA... SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... STRONG ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AND GALE CONDITIONS OVER THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. IT WILL BE WINDY ESPECIALLY ALONG THE IMMEDIATE BEACHES AND INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY WITH OCCASIONAL WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR NASSAU...DUVAL...ST JOHNS AND FLAGLER COUNTIES UNTIL 3 PM. ELEVATED WATER LEVELS MAY CAUSE MINOR COASTAL FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION THIS MORNING AROUND THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE IN NORMALLY FLOOD PRONE AREAS ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST AND INLAND TRIBUTARIES. HIGH TIDE THIS MORNING WILL BE BETWEEN 9 AND 10 A.M. ON THE OCEANFRONT AND SEVERAL HOURS AFTERWARD ON THE ESTUARIES. THE SAINT JOHNS RIVER IS CURRENTLY RUNNING ABOUT A FOOT TO A FOOT AND A HALF ABOVE PREDICTED TIDAL LEVELS. AT THESE LEVELS NUISANCE FLOODING OF THE NORMALLY FLOOD PRONE COASTAL AREAS CAN BE EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY. ELEVATED ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY WITH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS EXPECTED OVER THE OFFSHORE COASTAL WATERS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/JAX.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 coastal flood, 1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
Surf heights reported up to 6-8 ft with pockets of minor beach erosion.
Street flooding was reported along King and Malaga Streets in St Augustine. Minor street flooding was reported around Maria Sanchez Lake and Avenieda Menedez Road had standing salt water in parking spaces.
Minor overwash was reported at Malacompra Road in the Hammocks area.
Rough surf and high astronomical tides caused significant beach erosion at South Ponte Vedra Beach, Vilano Beach and Summer Haven. A local state of emergency was declared due to coastal storm erosion.
Water pooled around the Porpoise Point are in South Ponte Vedra during the high tide. The beach and vehicular access ramps flooded during the high tide. Beach erosion estimates were up to 35 ft in some areas.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, December 2014
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: 551246, 551247, 551248, 551249, 551250.