"Beryl" is moving into the Western Atlantic north/northeast of Savannah & well NE of Jacksonville....
** Virtually no First Coast effects left from "Beryl" as seas/surf gradually subside. Be careful in the ocean as recent strong wave action may have left holes & "canyons" near the coast & any sandbars which could still cause rip currents & suddenly deeper water**
"Beryl" has made the turn to the east/northeast & will move into the Atlantic where a bit of strengthening will be possible before becoming involved with an upper level trough & surface low over the N. Atlantic.
Scattered heavy & strong afternoon t'storms will occur the next few days BUT will not be related to "Beryl".
Realize that while a major inconvenience, this storm did not cripple the First Coast. There are downed trees & power lines and it could take a while for utility companies to restore power. Still...virtually all public facilities & businesses are open & functioning.
We've just witnessed history here on the First Coast as "Beryl" is the first landfalling tropical cyclone in May on the coast of NE Fl. or SE Ga. as far back as 1851....or as far back as reliable weather records go. "Beryl" was also the first landfalling tropical cyclone on the First Coast since "Tammy" in 2005 ("Fay" made landfall in Flagler Co.).
From what I've been able to dig up, it looks like this year is the first year since 1887 that 2 tropical storms have formed in the month of May in the same year in the Atlantic Basin.
Interesting sidenote -- 2 hurricanes formed in 1908 -- May 24th & also in March(!). According to "Weather Underground"....26 tropical cyclones formed in the Atlantic Basin before the official start of the season since 1851. Only 5 of those storms managed to become hurricanes - 1 "major" -- "Able" & only 1 of the hurricanes affected the U.S. -- May 24th, 1908 on the Outer Banks of N. Carolina.
May 31, 2008: Tropical Storm Arthur (formed very near midnight June 1st)
May 6, 2007: Subtropical Storm Andrea
April 18, 2003: Tropical Storm Ana
April 21, 1992: Subtropical Storm 1
May 6, 1981: Tropical Storm Arlene
January 18, 1978: Subtropical Storm 1
May 21, 1976: Subtropical Storm 1
May 23, 1972: Subtropical Storm Alpha
May 17, 1970: Hurricane Alma (Category 1)
May 28, 1959: Tropical Storm Arlene
February 2, 1953: Tropical Storm Alice
May 25, 1952: Tropical Storm 1
May 15, 1951: Hurricane Able (Category 3)
May 22, 1948: Tropical Storm 1
May 19, 1940: Tropical Storm 1
May 27, 1934: Tropical Storm 1
May 14, 1933: Tropical Storm 1
May 5, 1932: Tropical Storm 1
May 13, 1916: Tropical Storm 1
May 24, 1908: Hurricane 2 (Category 1)
March 6, 1908: Hurricane 1 (Category 2)
May 27, 1890: Tropical Storm 1
May 16, 1889: Hurricane 1 (Category 1)
May 17, 1887: Tropical Storm 2
May 15, 1887: Tropical Storm 1
May 30, 1865: Tropical Storm 1
Click here to see wave height forecasts.....click here for a web briefing from our Jax N.W.S.
