Tracking Beryl

JACKSONVILLE (ActionNewsJax.com) -- Tropical Storm Beryl brought high winds, heavy rain and dangerous rip currents as it approached northeast Florida and southeast Georgia.

Latest Updates:
Monday @ 4:32 PM: "Beryl" is stuck near the Florida/Georgia border about 60 miles northwest of Jacksonville. The First Alert Weather Center is forecasting the storm to drift east and northeast through Tuesday producing heavy rain and storms across metro Jacksonville, Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Significant flooding will be possible in some places.

Monday @ 4:23 PM: Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh has issued a FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY through Tuesday. Bands of heavy rain & thunderstorms will continue to move north & east through Tue. evening with flooding rains being the greatest threat.  If you live in a flood prone area, keep an eye on water levels.  Afternoon storms will continue to be likely the rest of the week before drying out this weekend... TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy with periods of showers, a few thunderstorms – heavy rain at times.

Monday @ 3:48 PM: Action News' Paige Kelton reports there are no school closings in Duval and St. Johns Counties.

Monday @ 12:53 PM: Mayor Brown addressed the city Monday afternoon at the Duval County Emergency Operations Center, saying stay safe, and stay off the roadways. - Watch Video

Monday @ 11:30 AM: Tropical Storm Beryl has been downgraded to a depression after coming ashore near Jacksonville Beach just after midnight Monday... Read more

Monday @ 10:54 AM: Action Sports Brent Martineau reports the Jacksonville Suns Memorial Day Game scheduled for tonight against the Mobile BayBears has been postponed due to Tropical Storm Beryl... Read more

Monday @ 10:48 AM: The storm disrupted countless Memorial Day celebrations throughout the Jacksonville area. Monday's garbage collection has been canceled, and rescheduled for Monday, June 2.... Read more

Monday @ 9:26 AM: From Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh - Beryl will slowly move west/northwest today rotating bands of heavy rain and thunderstorms across all of metro Jacksonville, Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Winds of 20-30 mph will continue with gusts of 40-50 mph at times. The primary hazards today will be flooding and strong winds with an isolated tornado possible this afternoon.

Monday @ 8:17 AM: "Beryl" made landfall at 12:10am at Jax Beach & will soon be a depression as it moves west/northwest just north of I-10 turning more north with time then northeast across Georgia.... Read more

Monday @ 4:28 AM: Downtown is completely quiet and will probably remain that way. A rep from Mayor Brown's special events office said the Memorial Day festivities for today have been cancelled. MOCA suffered minor damage from an unknown source. Shattered glass from a hole in a third story window was found on the corner of Laura and Duval Streets. Debris from trees in Hemming Plaza line the walkways of the park, though nothing too large seems to have come down.

Monday @ 1 AM: Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh says the beaches in northeast Florida are getting a break because the center of the storm is over land. There are reports of trees down and fallen power lines in south Georgia and North Florida, with Fernandina Beach experiencing heavy rains and gusty winds. Winds are expected to pick up as the eastern side of the circulation comes ashore.

Monday @ 12:10 AM: Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh says Tropical Storm Beryl has come ashore. A homeowner has confirmed that their roof on a home on Heckscher Drive was blown away by Tropical Storm Beryl's winds. The homeowner said it sounded like a freight train when the incident occurred. The roof crashed into the home's front yard, according to the homeowner.

Monday @ 12:05 AM: Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh says the landfall of Tropical Storm Beryl will be the first such event in the month of May on our soil going back to at least 1851. There is a report of a tree that has fallen onto a home on Armsdale Road along with a report of a collapsed roof of a home on Heckscher Drive. It is not clear if any injuries have been reported.

Sunday @ 11:40 PM: Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh says that the storm should be on the westside of Jacksonville by 8 am but will turn north and slow down. This will bring soaking rainfall to the area. He advises that residents should stay calm as the weather slowly improves. He advises that residents should have batteries on hand if they lose power and they should talk to their kids to reassure them. Buresh said some tornado warnings are possible as the storm treks along northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Duval County trash pick up for Monday has been canceled.

Sunday @ 11:15 PM: We are receiving reports that customers in Fernadina Beach are without power. Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh says the area is getting lashed by strong winds.

Sunday @ 10:45 PM: Action News reporter Erica Bennett is reporting from Brunswick, Georgia. Officials there are on stand-by. There have been some reports of downed trees but no reports of flooding or damage as of yet. Action News reporter Ryan Smith is talking to two girls walking on Jacksonville Beach. When asked if they are crazy, one of the girls replied, "A little bit."

Sunday @ 10:30 PM: Action News reporter Jamie Smith is reporting that 2,400 customers in St. Johns County are without power. A special needs shelter has opened in northwest Jacksonville at the Legends Center, located at 5130 Soutel Drive. Action News reporter Catherine Varnum is reporting that the Hart Bridge is open. There was a technical issue that inadvertently classified the bridge as closed when it is still open.

Sunday @ 10:16 PM: Action News reporter Catherine Varnum is at the city's Emergency Operations Center. Officials have announced that the Hart Bridge is now closed. Motorists were advised to take alternate routes. The city's information number will remain open for incoming calls throughout the night. Operators can be reached at 904-630-2489.

Sunday @ 10:15 PM: The Jacksonville Aviation Authority has issued the following news release: The Jacksonville Aviation Authority has announced that all airlines, except JetBlue and Delta, have cancelled remaining incoming and outgoing flights. JetBlue currently has two flights scheduled for arrival at 10:34 p.m. and 11:25 p.m. Delta also has two flights currently scheduled for arrival at 10:08 p.m. and 11:10 p.m. The possibility exists that those airlines may choose to divert to alternate locations for landing. Customers are encouraged to contact the airlines for the most up-to-date information. Morning flights will be impacted by tonight's cancellations. Information is available online at www.flyjax.com or by calling individual airlines for specific information regarding schedules for Monday, May 28.

Sunday @ 10 PM: Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh is reporting that Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to be over Florida as of 2 am. There could be large flooding area because of rainfall that could approach 10 inches. Isolated tornadoes could be reported along with additional power outages. Action News reporter Ryan Smith is reporting from Jacksonville Beach and says the rain has let up but the winds remain strong. Action News reporter Leslie Coursey is reporting from flood prone Riverside area. She said neighbors are concerned about the threat of high water. Action News reporter Kristen Sell is reporting from Fernandina Beach. She said it's hard to stand upright because of strong winds.

Sunday @ 9:45 PM: A Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer has been transported to Shands Hospital after the officer's vehicle crashed into a utility pole near Crystal Springs Road and Crystal Springs Lane. According to authorities, the officer had to be extricated from the vehicle. The officer is said to have suffered non-life threatening injuries. We are hearing reports that several customers have lost power in Callahan around Ratliffe Road. JEA also reported that some 2,000 customers on the Southside were without power. The utility company also reported that about 1,200 customers in Arlington near Merrill Road and Cesery Boulevard were without electricity.

Sunday @ 9:32 PM: We have received reports of fallen trees on Peach Street in Jacksonville. We are also working to confirm a report that the Wonderwood Bridge near Mayport has been closed because of a downed utility pole.

Sunday @ 9:15 PM: JTA has suspended bus operations that serve the beaches. The transit agency says all inland bus routes will continue to operate as normal except for stops scheduled in the area east of the intracoastal waterway. The agency can be reached at 904-632-5542. A check at Jacksonville Interational Airport reveals only two outgoing flights have been canceled: Flight 3543 on American Airlines to Miami and AirTran Flight 529 to Atlanta. Several evening incoming flights, including planes from Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Newark, Nashville, Dallas and Washington DC were canceled. Travelers were advised to check with their carriers to determine the status of their flights. A severe accident has been reported at 6600 Old Kings Road North and Pritchard. The extent of injuries was pending.

Sunday @ 9 PM: JEA is reporting that nearly 1,200 customers are without power in the area bounded by University Boulevard and Merrill Road. According to JEA.com, crews were on the scene. The utility reported that scattered power outages were reported throughout the area. Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh said the distance across the center of the storm was about 50 mph. A band of heavy rain is expected to batter the beaches before moving inland. Sustained winds of up to 60 mph were reported in Mayport; other areas were seeing strong winds as well. Action News reporter Ryan Smith is reporting blowing wind at Jacksonville Beach. He also reports that power outages at the beaches have been reported.

Sunday @ 8:45 PM: Rainfall at WTEV-TV station seems more steady and winds are howling outside.

Sunday @ 8 PM: The Matthews Bridge is closed because of ongoing construction and high winds. Motorists were advised to find alternate routes. No other reports of bridge closures have been reported as of 8 pm.
From Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh: The storm has sustained winds of 70 mph and was moving westward at 10 mph. As of 8 pm, it was 84 miles east of Jacksonville. The storm is expected to dump 3-6 inches of precipitation on northeast Florida and southeast Georgia as it makes landfall and moves westward before turning north.

Previous Updates:
Concert featuring Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw scheduled for Sunday night at the  St. Augustine Amphitheatre has been postponed until further notice. Promoters said ticketholders should keep their tickets as details on rescheduling will be forthcoming.


Here is some reaction from social media as the storm approaches