Tropical Depression Beryl Douses Florida, Georgia with Heavy Rains

Tropical Depression Beryl is located over southern Georgia bringing heavy rain to the southeast of the state and to northern Florida, according to Risk Management Solutions (RMS). Total accumulations are expected to reach 5 to 10 inches.

Early Monday morning, Beryl made landfall near Jacksonville Beach, Florida. At this time the system was close to hurricane status with maximum sustained winds at landfall of 70 mph.

RMS said that emergency officials are not reporting any major damage from Beryl. Memorial Day celebrations were cancelled in Jacksonville and St. Augustine in advance of the storm.

Flooding and tree damage has been reported in Jacksonville’s Smithfield district and a small tornado reportedly downed power lines and damaged roofs near Port St Lucie.

An estimated 20,000 lost power in northeast Florida at the peak of the storm. Florida Power and Light Co. said that as of Tuesday morning, power had been restored to most properties in St Augustine.

In Georgia, an estimated 2,900 lost power at the peak of the storm but by Tuesday morning Georgia Power was not reporting any outages.

Georgia’s Cumberland Island National Seashore was evacuated in advance of the storm.

RMS said Beryl is forecast to track to the east-northeast over southeastern Georgia and South Carolina over the next 36 hours, before re-emerging over the Atlantic. The system is expected to remain a tropical depression overland and is forecast to re-intensify to tropical storm strength after moving back over water.

As the system tracks over Georgia and South Carolina, and offshore North Carolina, Beryl is expected to bring further rainfall to the region, whilst tropical storm force wind gusts are possible, RMS said.

Topics Florida Georgia