Nor'easter brings high seas, winds, chilly Monday

Strong coastal winds bring showers onshore; prompting weather advisories

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Expect a breezy, chilly start to the work week, with coastal showers blowing onshore, prompting rip current alerts and high surf and coastal flood advisories over the next couple days.

St. Johns County said the unusually high tide will cause intermittent restrictions to vehicles on the county's beaches through Wednesday.

Cloudy skies will allow temperatures to stay in the 50s and 60s. A strong pressure gradient over the state is making for strong winds, especially in our coastal areas.

On Monday, St. Johns County issued an emergency proclamation during a meeting, declaring a local state of emergency because of coastal storm erosion.  Evaluations by licensed St. Johns County engineers and representatives from other state agencies determined recent severe wind, lunar tides and high waves have caused erosion that poses an immediate threat of substantial property damage to habitable structures.

The proclamation allows the county to issue temporary armoring permits for habitable structures in imminent danger and to expedite the permitting process so homeowners can protect their property in time. Homeowners who believe their habitable structure is eligible for temporary armoring are encouraged to contact the St. Johns County Engineering Department at 904-209-0110.

The St. Augustine Police Department also issued a high tide flood warning as high tide and high winds push the river over the sea wall downtown. High tide Monday night is at 9:27 p.m. and low tide is at 3:15 a.m. High tide Tuesday will be at 9:42 a.m. and low tide is at 4 p.m. 

Locations to watch for flooding include Bayfront at Malaga Street, King Street and Orange Street at Riberia.

Coastal counties are under a Wind Advisory until 3 p.m. Monday. Expect winds out of the north and northeast, sustained between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts of 35 to 40 mph. Minor damage to trees and power lines is possible, and motorists with high profile vehicles should drive more cautiously, especially over bridges.

Our coastal waters are under a Gale Warning, with anticipated winds out of the northeast between 25 and 35 knots. Those strong winds have also put our coastal waters under a Small Craft Advisory, with expected seas of 9 to 12 feet, occasionally 15 feet, making for very dangerous conditions. Along the beaches, we are under a High Surf Advisory, expecting 6- to 8-foot waves, strong rip currents, and some beach erosion.

Expect temperatures to struggle through the 50s Monday, topping out around 59°. Strong winds will make for a significant wind chill factor, subtracting 5 to 7° from the actual temperature for the "feels like" temperature. The strong winds will bring coastal showers onshore throughout the day, accounting for high chances for rain along the coast, and 20 percent chances for a shower inland.