Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the River Surge topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Johns County official: St. Johns River can generate its own storm surge; river flooding needs separate warnings
Summary
Deputy emergency manager Kelly Wilson says the St. Johns River has independent surge forecasts and that onshore winds or nor'easters can prevent northward drainage, raising evacuation needs for riverfront areas.
Kelly Wilson told listeners that the St. Johns River receives its own forecasts for storm surge and that those river surge conditions can cause flooding independent of coastal surge. "The St. Johns River will get its own storm surge warning and forecast," she said, noting river flow and onshore winds can combine to push water onto land.
Wilson urged riverfront residents to heed river-specific evacuation zones and explained that nor'easters and onshore winds can block the river's northward drainage, increasing inland flooding risks. She said the county includes the river in evacuation planning because the river flows north and can be driven inland by sustained winds.
