JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Tropical Storm Elsa began lashing the Florida Keys early Tuesday morning, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Duval County is prepared for any effects the system might bring to Northeast Florida.
“We’ve been through this a number of times together, unfortunately, over the last few years,” Curry said during an interview Tuesday on The Morning Show.
He said city workers were out over the weekend clearing drainage ditches to help with any potential flooding after consistently heavy rainfall ahead of the tropical storm. And the Emergency Operations Center in Duval County has been monitoring the storm since before the holiday weekend.
THE LATEST: Tropical Storm Elsa | WHAT TO EXPECT: Forecasting Elsa’s impact on NE Florida and SE Georgia | TRACKING THE TROPICS: Interactive map
“That center is where everybody collaborates from Public Works to our utility to our transportation authority, our public schools, our police department, our fire department, to make sure we’re all in agreement and collaborating,” Curry said. “We’re just asking people to pay attention and be prepared.”
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/07-06-2021/t_151991213b9148ef917eae08bdafef97_name_image.jpg)
Curry said NO evacuations are expected in the Jacksonville area and at this point, shelters will NOT be opening either.
“But it is a really important reminder for people to know their evacuation zone at JaxReady.com because we are on the front end of hurricane season, and this is a reminder,” Curry said.
Curry said most of the city’s residents should be used to what’s coming but for those who are new to the area, he emphasized knowing your evacuation zone and what you need in your hurricane supply kit.
“The most important thing for me right now is people’s safety, so if you know you’re in an area that can flood, that can have flashfloods, please don’t be out unnecessarily,” Curry said. “If you’re in a medical emergency, dial 911. You can call 630-CITY if you have a non-medical emergency. But let’s just be smart and not be out unnecessarily.”
Curry also offered a reminder not to go near any downed power lines but to report them immediately to the city.
In addition to damaging winds and heavy rains, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening storm surges, flooding and isolated tornadoes possible with Elsa. A hurricane watch was issued for a long stretch of coastline, from Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay to the Steinhatchee River in Florida’s Big Bend area.
Elsa’s maximum sustained winds strengthened to 60 mph early Tuesday. A slow strengthening is forecast through Tuesday night and Elsa could be near hurricane strength before it makes landfall in Florida. Its core was about 50 miles southwest of Key West, Florida, and 270 miles south of Tampa. It was continuing to move to the north-northwest at 12 mph.
Three to 5 inches of rainfall with localized totals of up to 8 inches of rain are expected through Wednesday across the Keys and into southwest and western portions of the Florida Peninsula. The forecast included the possibility of tornadoes across South Florida Tuesday morning and across the upper peninsula later in the day.
Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded a state of emergency to cover a dozen counties where Elsa was expected to make a swift passage on Wednesday, including Alachua and Columbia counties, and President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for the state ahead of the storm.
Forecasters predicted Elsa would hit coastal Georgia and South Carolina after Florida. Georgia's coast was under a tropical storm watch, as was the South Carolina coast from the Mouth of St. Marys River to South Santee River. Forecasters said tornadoes could strike in the eastern Carolinas and Virginia as Elsa moves north.
The storm surge could reach five feet over normally dry land in the Tampa Bay area if Elsa passes at high tide, forecasters said. Commander Col. Ben Jonsson said only essential personnel were being allowed Tuesday morning on MacDill Air Force Base, which is located along the bay on the South Tampa peninsula.
Elsa’s westward shift spared the lower Florida Keys a direct hit, but the islands were still getting plenty of rain and wind on Tuesday. Tropical storm warnings were posted for the Florida Keys from Craig Key westward to the Dry Tortugas and for the west coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to the Ochlockonee River.
Elsa was the first hurricane of the Atlantic season until Saturday morning and caused widespread damage on several eastern Caribbean islands Friday. As a tropical storm, it resulted in the deaths of one person on St. Lucia and of a 15-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman in the Dominican Republic.
Elsa is the earliest fifth-named storm on record, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami.
"pay" - Google News
July 06, 2021 at 07:38PM
https://ift.tt/3jR6MbU
Jacksonville Mayor: ‘Pay attention, be prepared’ as Elsa approaches - WJXT News4JAX
"pay" - Google News
https://ift.tt/301s6zB
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Jacksonville Mayor: ‘Pay attention, be prepared’ as Elsa approaches - WJXT News4JAX"
Post a Comment