A.G. Gancarski
On Sunday morning, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry updated locals on the impacts of Hurricane Irma, churning in the Gulf toward Tallahassee.
Though the cone has shifted west as variables have fallen away from the forecast, there will be tropical storm force winds with potentially stronger gusts, along with flash flooding and tornado potential.
“Do not be lulled,” Curry said, this is a “very wide storm” and people are urged to “hunker down.”
By 8PM, Jacksonville residents will experience sustained tropical storm force winds; by midnight, conditions will deteriorate rapidly, with winds of 40 to 60 MPH and higher gusts.
Jacksonville is still “under the gun,” said the NWS weather person. But the threat is less than it seemed earlier this week, and certainly less than faced elsewhere.
The city’s cut and toss teams are out already, clearing debris, as a Nor’easter has been an impact this weekend.
Meanwhile, Curry said to expect power outages from this “major statewide event,” with demand on power crews expected to be more significant than Matthew.
Curry attempted to be positive, urging people to score some “mental relief and root for the Jaguars.”
However, for Curry, there were personal worries: family and friends were in Key West when the storm hit, and some did not evacuate.
And there had been no word since the storm passed from them.
