Beryl now a Tropical Storm and stronger

JACKSONVILLE, Fla -- Beryl is now a Tropical Storm and stronger with winds at 65 mph.  The storm is interacting with the warmer Gulf Stream water which is helping to organize its inner and outer rainbands.  Beryl is about 100 miles east of Jacksonville with landfall forecasted late Sunday and early Monday.  We are already seeing rain and a few storms move as far inland as Columbia County with the storms popping up in Union and Bradford County.

Winds have been picking up and blowing at about 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 and 40 mph.  In fact, a buoy off the coast of St. Augustine recorded a wind gust of 56 mph at 1pm today.

Rainfall accumulations of 3-6 inches will not be out of the question as Beryl slowly moves inland and stalls on the Florida-Georgia border.  Localized higher amounts likely and the flooding potential rests on whether or not Beryl gets hung up over the area.

Beryl is forecast to weaken to a depression on Monday.