Patience required for Jacksonville drivers during Friday's rains

Weather Authority Alert Day declared for Friday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida is known as the Sunshine State. But on Friday in Northeast Florida, there was very little -- if any -- sunshine to talk about. 

Rain fell all day and well into the night, leaving many streets and roads partially flooded. 

Jacksonville residents and visitors said they needed a lot of patience while driving during the downpour. 

"We came up (Interstate) 95 and there were times when you couldn't see where you were going," said Becky Church, who was visiting from Orlando. 

"It’s really hard to see the lines. When I was coming down 95, traffic was backed up everywhere. Stoplights were backed up as well," said Catherine Kendall, a Jacksonville resident. 

Throughout the day, 911 calls kept coming in about vehicle crashes. It’s unclear if the crashes were weather-related, but according to the time stamp, they happened when rain was coming down at a good clip.

"I guess when it's in Jacksonville, people don't drive as they usually do," said Steven Williams, a Jacksonville resident. 

Friday was a Weather Authority Alert Day. Kendall, a News4Jax viewer, said the meteorologists called it.  

"They were absolutely right," she said. "I looked at the weather report last night and it said 100 percent chance of rain and they were right."

One couple told News4Jax that despite how wet it was Friday, it was a lot better than having to deal with snow and freezing rain. 


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