As Beryl approaches, mayor asks residents to heed warnings, prepare

11 a.m.: National Hurricane Center: Beryl strengthens

The latest update from the National Hurricane Center shows Beryl gaining strength, with sustained winds at 60 mph. The storm is located 125 miles to the east of Jacksonville and moving west at 10 mph. Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coast late this morning or early afternoon. Landfall is expected this evening. Rain totals of 3 to 6 inches are possible.

8:45 a.m.: Mayor asks residents to take caution, prepare for storm

At a morning news conference at the city's Emergency Operations Center, Mayor Alvin Brown encouraged residents to take caution and prepare for subtropical storm Beryl.

"I am encouraging all area residents to stay indoors and off the streets as the storm approaches,? Brown said. "And please do not go into the water today. Stay out of the water ??it's about safety."

Brown also encouraged business owners to close early today to allow employees to get home safely and prepare for the storm.

No mandatory evacuations have been issued, he said.

Residents should prepare, however, for localized flooding, downed trees and downed power lines. "Don't become compacent; take this very seriously," he stressed.

An emergency shelter for those with special needs will open at noon today at the Legends Center at 5130 Soutel Drive near Moncrief Road in Northwest Jacksonville.

He said that he expects garbage pick-up on Monday will be halted.

At this time, there are not plans to close Jacksonville International Airport and there are no bridge closures, he said. Updates on the Jacksonville Port Authority are forthcoming.

Additionally, the mayor said he signed a declaration of emergency, paving the way for federal assistance if needed.

Updates on the city's official Memorial Day activities are expected later this morning.

For more information, residents can call 630-2489 (630-CITY) or visit jaxready.org.

Our earlier story:

Subtropical storm Beryl is churning ever closer to the Southeast U.S. coast, threatening Memorial Day beachgoers with dangerous surf and drenching rains from Northeast Florida to the Carolinas.

The National Hurricane Center said Beryl was centered at 8 a.m. about 165 miles east of Jacksonvile. Forecasters said the system has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and is moving west-southwest at 10 mph.

In advance of the storm, the City of Jacksonville and Mayor Alvin Brown have canceled today's Jacksonville Jazz Festival activities with the sole exception of the jazz brunch event at downtown's Omni Hotel.

With dangerous rip currents present, the city also has closed the beaches for swimming.

The city will open a special-needs shelter at the Legends Center at Soutel and Moncrief in Northwest Jacksonville at noon. Anyone electricity- and oxygen-dependent should use this shelter if there are power outages or flooding.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the Northeast Florida, stretching from south of St. Augustine northward along the coasts of Georgia and parts of South Carolina. The Miami-based hurricane center says the storm is expected to make landfall Sunday night or early Monday.

Beryl is technically considered a "subtropical storm," its thunderstorms capable of generating dangerous surf and rains of up to 3 to 6 inches.

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