Breezy northwesterly winds and a very dry airmass develop in the wake of departing cold front. This resulted in critically low humidity values and dangerous fire conditions and the issuance of a Red Flag Warning for portions of southeast Georgia south of Waycross.
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.
Breezy northwesterly winds and a very dry airmass develop in the wake of departing cold front. This resulted in critically low humidity values and dangerous fire conditions and the issuance of a Red Flag Warning for portions of southeast Georgia south of Waycross.
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 Feb 22, 12:42 PM EST, 1 hour 48 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
1242 PM EST Sun Feb 22 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
- Wind Advisory for Strong Gusts through 6 PM
- Today: Red Flag Warning South of Waycross GA & all of
Northeast FL. Monday: Fire Weather Watch all local counties
- Cold Blast Returns Tonight with Nightly Freezes through Wed
Morning. Tonight: Freeze Warning North of I-10. Monday Night:
Freeze Watch.
- Wind Chills in the 20s Tonight & Monday Morning; Cold Weather
Advisory Issued.
- Gale Warning through Monday Afternoon
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
>> MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
- Breezy to Gusty Winds through the Afternoon (Wind Advisory)
- Critical Wildfire Danger Today and this Evening
- Freeze for SE GA & inland NE FL north of I-10 Tonight
- Dangerously low wind chill values area-wide Tonight
A powerful arctic cold front, being driven by a low pressure system
that is currently deepening rapidly along the eastern seaboard, has
almost exited the region as of the noon hour. Well to the northwest
of the deepening low, a strong arctic high pressure will begin to
translate southward out of Canada resulting in an intensifying
pressure gradient locally.
That tightly packed gradient will result in persistent breezy-to-
strong winds through the rest of the afternoon and overnight. The
strongest winds are expected through the rest of the afternoon as
low level winds continue to respond to the bomb cyclone to the
northeast. A Wind Advisory remains in effect for wind gusts 40-45
mph through the early evening hours. Anticipate gusts continuing
overnight but should lessen to the 20-25 mph range.
Combine the prevailing northwesterly winds and gusts expected
tonight with the incoming arctic chill, it'll feel like the low 20s
and upper teens across SE GA and the lower 20s across NE FL late
tonight and Monday morning. This has prompted the issuance of a Cold
Weather Advisory for tonight in addition to the current Freeze
Warning for inland areas north of I-10. Within the freeze warning
area, low temperatures will be in the upper 20s and low 30s while
mid 30s are expected else where across NE FL.
&&
.SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
>> MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
- Nightly Freezes & Cold Wind Chills Mon/Tue Mornings
- Wildfire Danger
- Inland Frost Tue Night/Wed Morning
Dry weather with below normal temperatures this period and nightly
freezes.
After a morning freeze and cold wind chills in the 20s Monday
morning, highs will only warm into the upper 40s across SE GA to the
50s across NE FL about 15-20 degrees below average highs for this
time of year. Gusty NNW winds continue Monday with peak gusts of 25-
35 mph, just below wind advisory threshold, as latest REFS-CONUS
model runs has gust potential of 40 mph or more less than 5% for all
areas. Winds weaken into Monday evening as the surface high builds
eastward across the Gulf Coast region. There is high confidence of a
widespread freeze Monday night into Tuesday morning with hard freeze
(temps near 25 degC) inland and a light freeze at the coast, and the
Freeze Watch for this period remains in place. With lows near 25
deg, a Cold Weather Advisory may be needed for portions of inland
northeast FL early Tuesday morning. Less wind Tuesday as the high
builds over the area with highs warming into the 50s to near 60, but
still below average. The ridge builds across south FL Tuesday night,
with a brief, light inland freeze possible and areas of frost more
favorable across portions of northeast FL where cloud cover will be
thinner compared to southeast GA. Confidence in a freeze is not as
high Tuesday night into Wednesday morning with cloud cover and
increasing SW boundary layer winds.
&&
.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
>> MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
- Warming Trend Begins Wednesday
- Needed Rain Chances Return Late Thursday and continue into Weekend
with Isolated Thunderstorm Potential
Surface ridge across south FL will bring the best chance of morning
fog across northeast FL Thursday morning with an approaching front
from the west increasing shower chances across southeast GA by
Thursday afternoon. Pre-frontal showers and isolated thunderstorms
could impact southeast GA as early as Thursday night, but are more
likely Friday as the front moves southward across the area under
weakening upper level dynamics. Although shear will be present, weak
mid level lapse rates and limited CAPE favor a low risk of severe
storms during this time frame. As upper level forcing lifts
northeast of the region Friday, the surface front begins to stall
across the FL peninsula into the weekend as a short-wave mid level
trough develops across the western Gulf and tracks eastward.
Depending on where the front stalls, this scenario could bring MUCH
needed stratiform rain to portions of the local area. There is also
the risk of more thunderstorm coverage, possibly strong next weekend
as the Gulf short wave trough becomes absorbed into a stronger long
wave eastern CONUS trough into the weekend. There is high confidence
of no freezes during this period.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/...
VFR conditions and breezy with frequently gusty northwesterly winds
through tonight. Gusts up to 35 knots possible this afternoon,
lessening to 20-25 knots overnight and Monday.
&&
.MARINE...
Frequent gusts to gale force will continue through Monday afternoon
between a strong surface low pressure well northeast of the region
and high pressure to the west. Winds and seas begin to subside
Monday night into Tuesday as the surface high builds eastward across
the Gulf Coast states. The high will extend across south Florida
Wednesday as the next front approaches from the west into Thursday.
A low chance of thunderstorms returns by Friday as the front slowly
shifts south across the local waters, likely stalling across the
Florida peninsula into the weekend.
Rip Currents: Moderate rip current risk today for the northeast
Florida and southeast Georgia beaches.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
- Red Flag Conditions this afternoon and again Monday from
Waycross Southward
- High Daytime Dispersion Values Today, Monday, And Wednesday
- Elevated nighttime dispersion values and poor humidity
recovery Tonight
A Red Flag Warning is in effect this afternoon for all of northeast
and north central Florida and for portions of southeast Georgia.
Despite some beneficial rainfall last night for areas north of
Waycross, elsewhere the amounts did not reach levels that would
significantly lower the potential to negate the ongoing Red Flag
Warning or the Fire Weather Watch Monday.
A cold, dry arctic airmass plunging southward through the region
this afternoon will result in critically low humidity this afternoon
between 2-6 PM as sustained winds hold around 15 to 20 mph with
gusts peaking around 30-40 mph. Winds will decrease but remain
elevated overnight resulting elevated overnight dispersion and poor
recoveries. On Monday, critically strong winds, low humidity, and
drought stricken fuels will yield a second day of Red Flag
Conditions from the Okefenokee NWR southward through northeast FL.
Winds will relax Tuesday as high pressure develops across FL, but a
long-duration period of low humidity is expected before humidity
trends high Wednesday onward.
FOG POTENTIAL AND OTHER REMARKS: A light freeze is expected tonight
for inland locations north of I-10. Expect widespread freezing
temperatures Monday night. Widespread frost and a possible light
freeze are forecast on Tuesday night.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG 60 30 48 26 / 10 0 0 0
SSI 67 33 50 31 / 30 0 0 0
JAX 70 32 53 28 / 30 0 0 0
SGJ 73 35 54 32 / 30 0 0 0
GNV 71 33 55 27 / 30 0 0 0
OCF 73 34 55 26 / 30 0 0 0
&&
.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Red Flag Warning until 9 PM EST this evening for FLZ021-023-
024-030-031-035-038-120-124-125-132-136>138-140-220-225-
232-233-236-237-240-322-325-333-340-422-425-433-522-533-
633.
Cold Weather Advisory from 4 AM to 9 AM EST Monday for FLZ021-
023-024-030-031-035-038-120-124-125-132-136>138-140-220-
225-232-233-236-237-240-322-325-333-340-422-425-433-522-
533-633.
Fire Weather Watch from Monday afternoon through Monday
evening for FLZ021-023-024-030-031-035-038-120-124-125-
132-136>138-140-220-225-232-233-236-237-240-322-325-333-
340-422-425-433-522-533-633.
Freeze Watch from late Monday night through Tuesday morning
for FLZ021-023-024-030-031-035-038-120-124-125-132-
136>138-140-220-225-232-233-236-237-240-322-325-333-340-
422-425-433-522-533-633.
Wind Advisory until 6 PM EST this evening for FLZ023-024-120-
124-125-220-225-322-325-425.
Freeze Warning from midnight tonight to 9 AM EST Monday for
FLZ023-024-120-220-322.
GA...Red Flag Warning until 9 PM EST this evening for GAZ151-152-
162-163-165-166-250-264-350-364.
Cold Weather Advisory from 4 AM to 9 AM EST Monday for
GAZ132>136-149-151>154-162-163-165-166-250-264-350-364.
Fire Weather Watch from Monday afternoon through Monday
evening for GAZ151>154-162-163-165-166-250-264-350-364.
Freeze Watch from late Monday night through Tuesday morning
for GAZ132>136-149-151>154-162-163-165-166-250-264-350-
364.
Wind Advisory until 6 PM EST this evening for GAZ132>136-149-
151>154-162-163-165-166-250-264-350-364.
Freeze Warning from midnight tonight to 9 AM EST Monday for
GAZ132>136-149-151>154-162-163-165-166-250-264-350-364.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 3 PM EST this afternoon for AMZ450-
452-454.
Gale Warning until 10 AM EST Monday for AMZ450-452-454.
Small Craft Advisory until 1 PM EST this afternoon for AMZ470-
472-474.
Gale Warning until 10 AM EST Monday for AMZ470-472-474.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
903 AM EST Sun Feb 22 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 PM Hail 4 N Hilliard 30.75N 81.92W
02/21/2026 M0.70 Inch Nassau FL Broadcast Media
Local broadcast media shared a report of
small hail just north of Hillard with a
thunderstorm yesterday evening. The hail was
estimated to be pea to dime size based on
pictures.
&&
ABEPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
953 AM EST Sun Feb 22 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0944 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Mayport 30.38N 81.42W
02/22/2026 M41 MPH Duval FL AWOS
AWOS station KNRB Mayport Naval Station.
&&
DRDPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
957 AM EST Sun Feb 22 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0941 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ENE Fort Caroline 30.39N 81.48W
02/22/2026 M42 MPH Duval FL Mesonet
Mesonet station XJAK Jacksonville.
&&
DRDPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
959 AM EST Sun Feb 22 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0946 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 NE Orange Park 30.22N 81.67W
02/22/2026 M44 MPH Duval FL AWOS
AWOS station KNIP Jacksonville NAS.
&&
DRDPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
101 PM EST Sun Feb 22 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1253 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 WSW Alma 31.53N 82.50W
02/22/2026 M44 MPH Bacon GA ASOS
ASOS station KAMG Alma.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind, 1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
Powerline broke from non-thunderstorm winds near the 8000 block of Highway 301. Peak wind gusts during the day were around 45 mph. This led to the development of the wildfire that spread southeastward just north of Folkston.
Georgia Forestry Commission responded to a wildfire caused by a downed powerline at approximately 3:00 p.m. this afternoon north of Folkston along Hwy 301. Upon arrival, the fire was estimated at 100 acres. The wildfire increased to an estimated 697 acres and stretched nearly 2 miles from U.S.-301 to County Road 252. Two homes received minor damage and eight minor structures were destroyed. Charlton County EMA reported evacuations due to the wildfire near Hwy 301 / Humphries Rd Area in Folkston. Roads under evacuation orders included Harold White Road, Humphries Road, Bill Knight Road, Willow Creek Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, February 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: 1309561, 1309559.