A backdoor cold front moved quickly southward over southeast Georgia and northeast Florida as strong high pressure built in behind it. This setup tightened the local pressure gradient resulting in a gusty northeasterly wind surge.
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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.
A backdoor cold front moved quickly southward over southeast Georgia and northeast Florida as strong high pressure built in behind it. This setup tightened the local pressure gradient resulting in a gusty northeasterly wind surge. A wind advisory was in effect for the coast where sustained winds were 20-25 mph and gusts around 40 mph.
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 Mar 24, 10:40 AM UTC, 3 hours 20 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
640 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
For the latest NE FL and SE GA Daily Key Messages please visit:
https:/www.weather.gov/media/jax/briefings/nws-jax-briefing.pdf
- Marine & Coastal Hazards Today through Wednesday. Wind Advisory for
Atlantic Coastal Communities North of Ponte Vedra Beach Today. High
Risk of Rip Currents at All Area Beaches Today through Wednesday.
High Surf Advisory along the Atlantic Coast from This Afternoon
through Wednesday. Gale Warning for Southeast GA Waters & Northeast
FL Waters North of St. Augustine. Small Craft Advisory for the
Northeast FL Waters to the South of St. Augustine
- Isolated TStorms Today through Wednesday, Mainly Along the I-95
Corridor
- Strong Onshore Winds & Increasing Marine & Coastal Hazards this
Weekend
- Extreme to Exceptional Drought Conditions Continue Area-Wide
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Main Highlights Today through Tonight:
- Windy conditions along the Atlantic Coast
- Chance of showers and slight chance of storms today and tonight
mainly across northeast FL
A backdoor cold front will move quickly southward over the area this
morning with strong high pressure build in behind it. This will
setup a tightening pressure gradient from north to south during the
early part of the day. Increasing north to northeast winds along
with cumulus and stratocumulus clouds will spread along the coast
and inland. Low level convergence and the increased moisture will
bring enhanced lift and produce scattered to possibly numerous
showers mainly for the eastern northeast FL zones and north central
FL, with even a couple of thunderstorms possible. A few heavier
showers are possible this afternoon into tonight for southern St
Johns and Flagler counties where higher moisture values are located.
The stronger pressure gradient will support gusty onshore winds with
sustained winds up to 20-25 mph with gusts around 40 mph. A wind
advisory is in effect for the coast where these winds are expected
to occur. High temps likely to be in the 1st half of the day as the
cold front will usher in cooler temps on the breezier northeast
winds, much cooler than the past few days. Max temps 60s on track
most of the area, but in the lower to mid 70s anticipated southern
most zones before the front arrives.
By tonight, the onshore flow will persist with expanding cloud cover
and some showers pushing further inland and into parts of southeast
GA. Low temps will also be cooling a bit more compared to this
morning but staying in the 50s for most locations, and then near 60
deg for lows for the northeast FL coast given the breezy northeast
winds off the Atlantic.
&&
.SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
Main Highlights This Period:
- A few thunderstorms coastal NE FL Wednesday
High pressure will be centered to the northeast Wednesday, with a
weak inverted trough over the coastal waters. The trough will help
generate showers. The greatest chances for showers will be near the
coast, where a few thunderstorms will also be possible. Wednesday
will be a warmer day, but with expected cloud coverage and onshore
flow, highs will still be a bit below average.
The high pressure ridge builds closer to the region Wednesday night,
pushing the trough south as well. Therefore, a dry night is
forecast. Lows in the 50s will be common.
On Thursday, the high pressure ridge will build overhead. It will be
a dry and sunny day, with temperatures recovering to above average
readings. The high remains in place Thursday night with lows in the
50s.
&&
.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
Main Highlights This Period:
- Unseasonably Cool and gusty day possible Saturday
The high pressure ridge will sink to the south Friday, as a cold
front approaches from the north. Friday will be a dry and sunny day
with above normal temperatures. Highs inland could reach 90.
The cold front will move south across the area Friday night.
Precipitation chances are low, but could not rule out a few showers
near the coast. Lows in the mid 50s to around 60 will be common.
On Saturday a surge of winds will move down the coast following the
front, with a low chance for coastal showers. This will be another
day where temperatures could be non diurnal, with readings falling
through the day, as the post frontal cold advection works south. The
consensus of models may be too warm for Saturday, and suspect future
model runs will trend cooler.
Strong high pressure will be centered to the northeast Saturday
night through Monday, with an inverted trough over the coastal
waters. A few coastal showers will be possible due to the coastal
trough. Near to below normal temperatures Saturday night and Sunday,
with near to above Sunday night and Monday.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z TUESDAY THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/...
VFR conditions at the moment, but as a strong cold front moves south
of the local terminals this morning, developing MVFR cigs along with
a few showers are expected to develop. These MVFR conditions will
affect SSI by 12z, and then move into northeast FL terminals from
13z to 15z. The MVFR conditions will likely continue into tonight
with potential for IFR cigs developing as well. Scattered showers
are anticipated around SSI early on in the period and then for
northeast FL terminals after 14z/15z time frame, with a few heavier
showers possible. A surge of northeast winds will develop at
SSI at 15-20 kt gusting to 30 kt and then affect the northeast FL
terminals from 14z to 16z. SGJ, JAX, and CRG will have the stronger
northeast winds compared to GNV and VQQ. The MVFR CIGS will stick
around through the entire TAF period as wedge of cooler and more
moist air remains locked in through tonight, NE winds will slowly
weaken after sunset tonight, especially at inland terminals.
&&
.MARINE...
A strong cold front will move across the area waters early this
morning. Gale warnings and small craft advisories are in effect for
the rapid northeasterly wind surge behind the front today through
Wednesday. Scattered showers and possibly a thunderstorm are
expected today through tonight mainly across the northeast Florida
waters. High pressure will then begin to build in from the north
Wednesday night resulting in winds lowering but seas will remain
elevated and rough. Another cold front will enter the southeast
states on Friday night, crossing our local waters on Saturday.
Strong high pressure will again build to the north of our area in
the wake of this front, resulting in another surge of onshore winds
throughout our local waters and possible Gale conditions during the
weekend.
Rip Currents: High risk today through Wednesday. Surf builds to
around 4-7 ft later today, possibly up to 6-8 ft by early Wednesday
morning. High risk rip currents and high surf advisory in effect.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
- Patchy High Afternoon Dispersions Through Friday
- Widespread High Afternoon Dispersions Saturday Through Monday
A cold front will move south of the area Today, with gusty winds
following its passage. High pressure will build to the northeast
this afternoon through Wednesday, with an inverted trough over the
coastal waters. High pressure ridge will build overhead Thursday and
Thursday night. Another cold front will move south across the area
Friday night, with a surge of winds moving down the coast following
it on Saturday. High pressure will build to the Saturday night
through Monday, with inverted troughing over the coastal waters.
FOG POTENTIAL AND OTHER REMARKS: Significant fog is not expected
this morning, or Tonight. Thunderstorm chances NE FL this afternoon
through Wednesday, mainly near the coast. Gusty coastal winds Today,
and again Saturday.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG 65 50 68 53 / 0 20 10 0
SSI 62 56 67 58 / 10 20 20 0
JAX 65 56 73 56 / 30 30 20 0
SGJ 67 61 74 60 / 50 60 40 10
GNV 70 57 78 57 / 20 20 30 0
OCF 75 60 79 58 / 30 20 40 0
&&
.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Wind Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for FLZ124-125.
High Risk for Rip Currents through late Wednesday night for FLZ124-
125-138-233-333.
High Surf Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 2 PM EDT
Wednesday for FLZ124-125-138-233-333.
GA...Wind Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for GAZ154-166.
High Risk for Rip Currents through late Wednesday night for GAZ154-
166.
High Surf Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 2 PM EDT
Wednesday for GAZ154-166.
MARINE...Gale Warning until 2 AM EDT Wednesday for AMZ450-452-470-472.
Small Craft Advisory from 2 AM to 5 PM EDT Wednesday for
AMZ450-452-470-472.
Small Craft Advisory until 9 PM EDT Wednesday for AMZ454-474.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A pine tree fell across Baxter Creek Drive blocking the road. A photo was shared via social media. Nearby KJAX ASOS measured gusts of 35-40 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, March 2026
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: 1324763.