News

Update No. 4 (9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26): Strong tropical winds are forecast. Please be safe and follow local emergency guidelines. Miscellaneous updates throughout this report

The City of Atlantic Beach is working in collaboration with Duval County emergency preparedness officials and our Beaches partner cities to prepare for Tropical Storm Helene. High winds, including potential tornadoes, are anticipated. Also expected are significant rainfall and potential for flash flooding, and minor-to-moderate surge along the Atlantic Coast and within the St Johns River. Further updates will be provided as necessary. Please review your emergency plans.  

Updated Forecast. There is potential for tropical storm-force winds, with gusts up to 73 mph. Storm surge along the coast and St. Johns River, tornados, and moderate flooding rainfall are expected locally. Tropical storm-force winds are expected to begin by late-afternoon Thursday, continuing throughout the night, and subsiding by morning. Heavy rainfall and potential for flash flooding well inland. Potential rainfall total of 2 to 4 inches, with locally higher amounts possible. Driving conditions could become hazardous on Thursday afternoon and Thursday night with heavy rainfall and potentially flooded roads.

Tropical Storm Warning, other advisories. The National Hurricane Center has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Duval County. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours. Stay aware and be ready to shelter in place and otherwise heed emergency officials’ advice. Additionally, a Hurricane Statement was released Wednesday; a Flood Watch and Coastal Flood Warning are in effect until 8 a.m. Friday; a Rip Current Statement is in effect until 11 a.m. Friday; and a High Surf Advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. Friday.

Stay informed. For up-to-date local information, we recommend visiting www.coab.us/helene and, on Facebook, following the City of Atlantic Beach at www.facebook.com/CityOfAtlanticBeach; JaxReady at www.Facebook.com/JaxReady; and U.S. National Weather Service Jacksonville at www.Facebook.com/NWSJacksonville).  Being informed will help you make timely and safe decisions for you and your family. JEA encourages customers to visit www.JEA.com/storm to ensure your contact information is up-to-date and to register for power restoration alerts. Questions related to Tropical Storm Helene’s impact on Atlantic Beach? Email info@coab.us or leave a message at (904) 247-5804. 

State of emergency. The City of Atlantic Beach, City of Jacksonville and State of Florida have declared a state of emergency in Duval County. A State of Emergency Declaration allows local governments to more easily allocate resources to best protect lives and property. Also, Duval County residents can now get a 30-day emergency refill on prescriptions.

 City of Atlantic Beach services.

• City offices. City Hall and other offices are closed Thursday.
• Garbage collection. As long as it is safe to do so, normal solid waste collection operations will proceed on Thursday and Friday. As always, if your garbage, recycling or yard waste is missed, please call (904) 247-5834 or email info@coab.us; we anticipate it being collected the next day.
• City of Atlantic Beach Arts, Recreation and Culture programming. City of Atlantic Beach recreation activities are canceled Thursday, and Boys and Girls Clubs are closed Thursday and Friday. 
• Dutton Island Preserve and Donner Park Splash Pad. The preserve and splash pad are closed Thursday.
• Meeting postponed. The Environmental Stewardship Committee Outreach Subcommittee meeting scheduled for Thursday is postponed and will be rescheduled.
• Donner Park Fall Festival and Public Input Meeting. The Fall Festival this Saturday is expected to continue, as planned, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Donner Park; the Public Input meeting at Donner Park at 1 p.m. Saturday to solicit input on proposed upgrades to the baseball field and the soccer/football field area is still expected to be held. The public is invited to attend.

Assess your property, remove loose debris, and plan. As long as it is safe to do so, walk around your property, clean up any limbs or debris that may clog storm drainage systems, and secure loose outdoor items including signs, garbage cans/lids, toys, etc., that could become projectiles. Put them inside your home, if possible. This helps prevent damage to your property and neighboring properties. Be mindful of trees that could become uprooted from heavy winds and the already saturated ground from the previous weeks of rain. Ensure your supply kits are stocked and that you have an emergency plan for your family.

Clean drains and gutters. Ensure that all drains and gutters are clear of debris so that water can drain properly. Blocked gutters can lead to water overflow, which might cause water damage to your home. Cleaning them out now can help mitigate potential flooding issues.

Builders and contractors. High winds are predicted. Please secure all materials and debris; remove or securely cover Dumpsters; secure portable restrooms; and do not work on new framing and sheathing.Stay off the beach and out of the water. Storms always produce unsafe ocean environments with higher tides, rough surf, and an increase in rip currents. If you spot someone in trouble, call 911. Lifeguards are not on duty. Stay out of the Intracoastal Waterway, too.

Steer clear of flooded roads.  Never drive on flooded roads; almost half of flood deaths happen in vehicles. If you encounter high water on a roadway, “turn around, don’t drown.” If you must drive during heavy rain … take your time, turn your lights on, and give other vehicles more space.

Avoid walking through deep or rushing water. You can’t see where the solid ground is or isn’t under your feet, and running water can be very powerful especially if you lose your footing. Water conducts electricity; don’t go out to sightsee; downed power lines are particularly perilous.

Malfunctioning or out-of-service traffic lights. Drivers should treat malfunctioning or out-of-service traffic lights as 4-way stops and report them to 630-CITY.

School closures. Duval County public schools (www.dcps.duvalschools.org) are closed Thursday and Friday. Jacksonville University is remote Thursday and Friday; University of North Florida, Edward Waters University and Florida State College of Jacksonville classes are canceled Thursday and Friday.

City of Jacksonville closures.

• City of Jacksonville offices are closed Thursday.
• Jacksonville Public Library: All Jacksonville Public Library branches are closed Thursday. Library patrons are asked to refrain from returning items to book drops for now.
• 630-CITY: The City of Jacksonville’s 630-CITY customer-service number is open around-the-clock through Friday, September 26 at 7 pm. 
• Community/Senior Centers: All senior centers and community centers are closed Thursday except for the Legends Center, which is being used as a shelter.
• Courts: Courthouses in Clay, Duval and Nassau counties are closed Thursday, as will the Duval County Clerk of Courts.
• State Attorney’s Office, 4^th Circuit: The Duval, Clay and Nassau offices are closed Thursday.
• Supervisor of Elections: The Duval Counter Supervisor of Elections Office are closed Thursday. 
• Property Appraiser: The Duval County Property Appraiser’s Office are closed Thursday.
• Jax Parks: Huguenot Memorial Park and Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park are closed Thursday.
• Airport. Although the airport is open, passengers are strongly encouraged to check with their respective airlines to verify schedules before coming to the airport.
• JaxPort. All terminal gates are expected to remain open. For up-to-date info on the Carnival Elation cruise, text CCL1 to CRUISE (278473).
• Tax Collector’s Office: Closed Thursday.

JTA. 

• Another shelter ride option: The Florida Division of Emergency Management has partnered with Uber to provide Floridians free rides to shelters in counties under a state of emergency for Helene. To get a ride:
  1. 1. Open the Uber app
  2. 2, Tap Account on the bottom right & tap Wallet
  3. 3. Add promo code HELENERELIEF
• The Kings Avenue Garage will be open to the public for residential parking. So, if you live in a low-lying area that is prone to flooding, that’s a safe place to park your car.
• The Fixed Route and First Coast Flyer buses will begin Flood Detours at 4 p.m. Thursday unless weather conditions deteriorate sooner. Download the MyJTA app to stay up-to-date on route changes.

 JEA power outages. Sign up for alerts at www.jea.com/alerts. Power outages are likely with this storm. JEA will work to restore power when it is safe to do so. Electrical outages and service issues can be reported to JEA at (904) 665-6000 or online at JEA.com. JEA works as quickly and safely as possible to restore electricity, water, and wastewater services. JEA encourages customers to visit JEA.com/storm to ensure your contact information is up to date and to register for power restoration alerts.

Bridge closures. All bridges are currently open. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) works closely with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol to monitor wind conditions at area bridges. If sustained winds exceed specified levels, FDOT will work with law enforcement to close affected bridges. Any bridge closures will be communicated via local media channels; social media; the City of Atlantic Beach website (www.coab.us/helene) and social media pages; the City of Jacksonville website (www.jacksonville.gov); and the JaxReady mobile app.

Emergency shelters. The following shelters are open:

• Atlantic Coast High School - (9735 R. G. Skinner Parkway) open for special medical needs, pet -friendly.
• Chaffee Trail Elementary - (11400 Sam Caruso Way) open for general population.
• The Legends Center - (5130 Soutel Dr.), open for general population and special medical needs, and pet -friendly.
• Landmark Middle - (101 Kernan Blvd), open for general population, pet-friendly.
• LaVilla School of the Arts - (501 N. Davis St.), open for general population

About evacuations. While no evacuations are expected, you should know your evacuation zone and route. Residents in manufactured homes, older homes, and low-lying areas are particularly vulnerable to flooding and sustained winds.

People with special medical needs should contact 630-CITY for more information for assistance, including shelter information. 

What the City of Atlantic Beach is doing to prepare for the storm.

• The Atlantic Beach Police Department Incident Management Team (IMT) is coordinating the City of Jacksonville Emergency Preparedness Division to carry out the Community Safety and Storm Response plan. The IMT attends all National Weather Service briefings and provides information to the City of Atlantic Beach public information officer. Additionally, Atlantic Beach police officers are on duty 24-7, ready to respond, if needed.
• Atlantic Beach public works crews are clearing storm drains; pumping down public retention ponds (i.e. Aquatic Gardens); cleaning and mowing ditch lines; and otherwise taking action to protect against flooding and wind damage. The City has pumped millions of gallons of water from the Aquatic Gardens pond to make room for flood water. Chain saws have been serviced and blades have been sharpened in preparation for tree removal. Work crews are on duty 24-7, ready to respond, if needed.

About sandbags. Sandbags are not provided by the City of Atlantic Beach. Residents who believe sandbags are a necessity should consult with their local hardware or outdoors business. 

When it’s time to clean up.

• Be particularly mindful of safety when clearing trees and yard debris. 
• Contractors that you hire to do work, such as tree-cutting and fence work, are responsible for debris removal.
• Don’t bag your yard/storm debris. Please bag your leaves.
• Cut limbs and trees so that they are no longer than 5 feet in length, 6 inches or less in diameter, and weigh less than 40 pounds. 
• Place your debris near the street, but not on the street. Don’t place debris over water/gas meters, cable/phone boxes, under low-hanging tree limbs, under utility wires, or near mailboxes.
• Removing or trimming trees? We love trees in Atlantic Beach. If you are considering removing a tree, please visit www.coab.us/trees to determine whether a permit and mitigation are needed. Email info@coab.us with questions. Make sure a qualified line-clearance arborist treats big trees, especially if they are near electrical wires. Major pruning to alter the tree’s structure should not be done at this time. Trees use energy stored in the wood to recover from damage and produce new growth, so the least amount of live wood possible should be removed. Info: https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/treesandhurricanes.
• Know your contractor. Disasters bring out the best in people and the worst in people. Please be wary of who you are doing business with. We strongly recommend that you vet and do business with a licensed contractor.