JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival in Fernandina Beach is scheduled for Thursday evening through Sunday and the forecast looks warm and mostly sunny through Saturday night. We are tracking a chance for showers on Sunday.
Friday
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As the shrimp festival kicks off on Friday at 6pm - the temperatures will be mild, at 74° with a cool Easterly breeze around 10 mph. We will only see 7% sky cover at that time, so as we head towards sunset just after 8pm, it should be beautiful .
Just after the pirate invasion at 9pm, the fireworks will fire off ay 9:15p m. At that point we will be in the comfortable low 70s with clear skies and a light southeasterly breeze.
Saturday
The festival starts at 9:30 am with the Jazz ensemble from Fernandina Beach High school, and the weather could not be prettier. Temperatures will be breaking into the low 70s under partly cloudy skies.
When the Tom Petty tribute begins from the Honey Badgers at 11 am, we will be warming into the upper 70s. Expect partly cloudy skies and winds out of the northeast between 5-10 mph.
The humidity looks decent (55%) for the Topsy Smith memorial Beard Contest at 2 pm, so only minimal frizzing should occur. Winds will be closer to 10 mph out of the East and may prompt a moderate hairspray for more complex styles.
Clouds will build in for the afternoon hours, making for 70% sky cover that will hold through the evening hours. The events end at 6pm, before the chances for rain build to 30% for the overnight hours.
Sunday
Sunday's forecast does include a chance for showers. The tropical low we are watching may bring a round or two of showers along our shoreline as is passes us well offshore. The chances for the most disruptive showers are not in Fernandina, but in our southern coastal areas like Flagler, St Johns, Putnam and Clay counties. As of right now it looks like there is a 30% chance to see a shower at the festival on Sunday - it is too early in the forecasting process to determine accurate timing- I will update this article when the timing is clear.
Events begin at 11 am on Sunday with a performance from Back to the Brink. Temperatures will be breaking into the low 80s during that time under 70% sky cover with light winds.
The Blessing of the Fleet, Laying of the wreath, and Shrimp Boat Parade and decorations contest begins at 1:30 pm. Temperatures will be warming through the mid 80s under partly cloudy skies.
The Swinging Medallions have two sets beginning at 2:30 pm, with the awards ceremony in between. Expect warm afternoon temperatures in the mid to low 80s, light winds, and a 30% chance for a shower.