Hurricane Ian Friday Updates: Beaches reopen to residents; Duval schools to reopen Monday

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Quick Northeast Florida Hurricane Ian links:

• Hurricane Ian: See the latest forecast, tracking map

• Shelter status: Hurricane shelters open across Northeast Florida

• Hurricane updates: Sign up to get the latest news sent to your phone

• Power outages: See outage maps for JEA, FPL and more.

• High school football: Florida games postponed, canceled due to Hurricane Ian

• Earlier: See more updates from our live blog on Thursday

7:35 p.m. | Mark Woods: Ian a reminder that we should do more — and that some things out of our hands

As the sun came up Friday morning at Jacksonville Beach, the skies were still cloudy, the surf still rough.

But the pier, reopened this summer, was still standing. Surfers began showing up, eyeing the waves. A few people walked the beach with metal detectors. Others walked their dogs. One young man rolled out a mat, faced the dim glow of sunrise, closed his eyes and meditated. | Read more --Mark Woods

7:20 p.m. | JEA sees no sewage spills and fraction of power failures compared to Irma in 2017

Matt Wiita will have no trouble remembering his first day on the job at JEA. Hired recently as emergency planning and business continuity coordinator for the utility, he started work Monday and reported directly to the utility's emergency operations center.

If it was baptism by hurricane watch, Wiita said he just tried to fit into the fast-moving operation by sticking to his role, something he'd learned during his service as a Navy SeaBee. | Read more --David Bauerlein

7 p.m. | 'We got lucky': Jacksonville spared as Tropical Storm Ian moved offshore

Jacksonville escaped significant damage as Tropical Storm Ian punched through the state's east coast Thursday and turned northeast toward the South Carolina coast far offshore from the city's beaches.

Ian, nearly a fearsome Category 5 storm as it made landfall near Fort Myers, left cataclysmic damage in barrier island and beaches communities in Southwest Florida and an extended trail of destruction as it sliced through the peninsula, drenching Orlando, Kissimmee and Daytona. But hurricanes leave unequal footprints as they crash into land.

As the storm emerged into the Atlantic as a weakened tropical storm and turned north, Ian tacked farther east than was forecast, sparing Jacksonville the buckets of rain that were predicted and heading off the worst-case coastal and inland storm surge. | Read more --Nate Monroe, Katherine Lewin, Hanna Holthaus, Dan Scanlan, Beth Reese Cravey, Tom Szaroleta and Matt Soergel

6:30 p.m. | JSO: San Marco intersection now open after flooding

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has reopened the intersection of San Marco and Lasalle after tidal flooding in the wake of Hurricane Ian closed the area earlier today.

6:20 p.m. | After flooding, St. Johns begins clean-up; Gov. Ron DeSantis visits St. Augustine

Videos of severe flooding in downtown St. Augustine and nearby neighborhoods made their way to social media as Hurricane Ian passed by, but the storm surge, tide and wind had mostly gone back out to sea by early Friday morning.

Left behind was damage to businesses and homes — though the amount wasn't immediately clear — along the cobblestoned streets of the historic city and the surrounding areas of St. Johns County. | Read more --Katherine Lewin

6:10 p.m. | Acosta Bridge to light up red, white and blue for Hurricane Ian first responders

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority announced that the Acosta Bridge will light up in red, white and blue for Friday and Saturday nights, in recognition of rescue and utility workers and others involved in Hurricane Ian relief efforts.

5:10 p.m. | Hurricane Ian: Now that the storm has left Northeast Florida, here's what's reopening soon

Here's an updated list of reopening plans around the Jacksonville area after Hurricane Ian. |  Read more --Beth Reese Cravey 

4:55 p.m. | Clay County public school also to reopen Monday

As in Jacksonville, Clay County will also resume normal school operations Monday. Superintendent David Broskie announced Friday afternoon that teams from the Clay County School District assessed the county's facilities following Hurricane Ian and found them ready to reopen.

4:45 p.m. | National Hurricane Center now classifies Ian as non-tropical

Hurricane Ian's status as a tropical cyclone is over, the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 p.m. advisory. The storm, which made landfall this afternoon in South Carolina, still packs winds of 70 miles per hour but is no longer classified as a tropical system.

The 5 p.m. advisory now classifies the system as Post-Tropical Cyclone Ian. Here are the key numbers.

• Location: 33.9°N 79.2°W

• Movement: N at 15 mph

• Minimum central pressure: 982 mb

• Maximum sustained winds: 70 mph

4:30 p.m. | Duval County public schools to reopen Monday after Hurricane Ian

School district officials announced that public schools across Duval County will reopen Monday, after a closure of three days during the approach of Hurricane Ian. | Read more --Clayton Freeman

4:15 p.m. | Flooding, rip currents still a risk as Duval County beaches reopen after Tropical Storm Ian

Hurricane Ian has passed Jacksonville, but not all risk has gone with it, Mayor Lenny Curry said in his final storm-related update.  | Read more --Hanna Holthaus

4 p.m. | JEA reports 793 customers with power outages after Hurricane Ian

JEA continues to report progress in restoring power after Hurricane Ian. As of 4 p.m., the utility reported 55 separate outages affecting 793 customers.

3:25 p.m. | FDOT: Portion of A1A in St. Johns County reopens

The Florida Department of Transportation has reopened a section of A1A in St. Johns County, stretching about seven miles from State Road 206 to the Flagler County line.

St. Johns County has also opened an additional post-hurricane shelter at the Solomon Calhoun Center for those forced out of their homes by Hurricane Ian's flooding. Other shelters in the county are closed at this time.

3 p.m. | Clay County deputies to assist Hurricane Ian recovery

In Clay County, deputies with the Sheriff's Office loaded supplies this morning at the county's emergency operations center. The group is traveling to Lee County to assist with Hurricane Ian recovery in the Fort Myers area.

2:30 p.m. | JSO: Riverside block closed because of Hurricane Ian flooding

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced that the 2300 block of Riverside Avenue is closed because of flooding, about four blocks west of Memorial Park.

2:20 p.m. | JSO: San Marco intersection closed due to flooding

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced the closure Friday afternoon of the intersection of San Marco Boulevard and Lasalle Street due to tidal flooding from Hurricane Ian.

2:10 p.m. | Vilano Beach house in precarious position after Hurricane Ian erodes sand, structure

A two-story beach house on Vilano Beach is in a precarious position Friday morning after storm surge and tide during Ian eroded the sand and structure beneath the building. The house's wooden stilts are completely exposed with no sand or structure to support the bottom of the house.  |  Read more --Katherine Lewin

2 p.m. | Hurricane Ian continues advance toward Carolinas

The National Hurricane Center issued its 2 p.m. advisory on Hurricane Ian as the Category 2 storm, now well past Northeast Florida, continued its movement toward South Carolina. The key numbers:

• Location: 33.2°N 79.1°W

• Movement: N at 15 mph

• Minimum central pressure: 977 mb

• Maximum sustained winds: 85 mph

Northeast Florida is no longer under a hurricane watch, which was discontinued for the area during the morning.

1 p.m. | Beaches, with notable exception, reopen to residents

Jacksonville's beaches have reopened to residents and visitors, the City of Jacksonville Beach announced Friday afternoon. But one attraction will remain closed Friday with an opening planned for Saturday: the Jacksonville Beach Pier.

Even though the beaches have reopened, officials caution that currents are still strong and ocean water is rough. So be careful out there.

10:55 a.m. | St. Johns lifts evacuation order

Effective immediately, evacuation orders for all zones in St. Johns County have been lifted, officials announced late Friday morning. Shelters opened during Hurricane Ian will close at 3 p.m. Officials cautioned that in some areas, standing water may cause roads to be impassable to drivers and emergency services. Anyone with questions can call the St. Johns County Emergency Operations Center hotline at (904) 824-5550.

10:50 a.m. | Waste collection set to resume in Northeast Florida

After suspending garbage, recycling and yard debris collection across much of the area on Thursday and Friday, many of those services are set to resume on Monday. Here's a county-by-county schedule.

10:40 a.m. | Cleanup begins in St. Augustine

A day after Hurricane Ian cut its way across Northeast Florida as a tropical storm, residents and business owners began cleanup in St. Augustine, one of the hardest-hit areas of the region.

8:45 a.m. | Nassau County lifts evacuation order

Nassau County lifted its evacuation order effective at 8:30 a.m. But they cautioned some people may not be able to access their homes immediately. Officials are still assessing damage.

8:30 a.m. | Photos of the Jacksonville Beach Pier

We haven't received a report yet about if there was damage at the Jacksonville Beach Pier. At this hour, the beaches are still closed to the public.

We also have an early look at the dunes in Jacksonville Beach, too -- Mark Woods

8:00 a.m. | Ian continues trek to Carolinas

The key numbers:

• Position: 31.4 N, 79.1 W

• Movement: N at 9 mph

• Maximum sustained winds: 85 mph

• Minimum central pressure: 984 mb

If you can't see any local weather warnings here, you'll need to open this story in a web browser.

8:00 a.m. | Many stores, restaurants reopening this morning

After being closed for a day or two, many stores, restaurants and businesses are reopening this morning or have announced plans to reopen soon. You can see the complete list, which we'll continue updating. --Beth Reese Cravey

6:35 a.m. | First flight out of JAX expected at 9 a.m. Friday

Jacksonville International Airport is reopening this morning. TSA security lines will up and running at 7 a.m., with the first flight expected at 9 a.m.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority plans to restart bus service by noon. -- Dan Scanlan

Here's what the airport looked like Thursday, with photos from Corey Perrine

6:15 a.m. | Here's what to expect in Northeast Florida today

The National Weather Service in Jacksonville says that as Ian makes landfall in the Carolinas today, the storm surge will continue to impact us on the First Coast.

Storm surge flooding is expected to continue along the Atlantic Coast, in low-lying areas, the Intracoastal Waterway and the St. Johns River basin.

There's a chance of major and moderate flooding in the Intracoastal Waterway south of Jacksonville and the St Johns River south of downtown Jacksonville.

"Trapped tides will exacerbate flooding in St Johns River potentially into next week," according to the weather service.

5:45 a.m. | Flooding continues in some parts of St Augustine

A1A is flooded across the Bridge of Lions in Davis Shores, First Coast News is reporting

5:40 a.m. | About 9,000 St. Johns County residents without power this morning

FPL is reporting about 9,200 residents in St. Johns County are without power at 5 a.m. and only about 10 in Nassau County without power.

In the Jacksonville area, JEA is reporting about 2,700 people without power.

Clay Electric is reporting at about 5:30 a.m. that about 2,300 people in Putnam County and 240 in Clay County are without power.

5:30 a.m. | 11-year-old Hurricane Ian evacuee from Jacksonville falls to death from Panama City Beach condo

An 11-year-old Hurricane Ian evacuee is dead after falling from a balcony of a condo on Panama City Beach.   |  Read more --Nathan Cobb

5:25 a.m. | Flooding on Riverside Avenue, San Marco and Southbank; road collapse Mayport area

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office reported shortly before midnight that Ocean Street at the 4200 block in the Mayport Area was closed "due to road collapse and washout." It's not clear yet if the road is accessible.

Also, just before 5 a.m., JSO said it was made aware of reports of flooding on Riverside Avenue, San Marco and Cordova Place on the Southbank.

Authorities are asking residents to avoid those areas.

5:15 a.m. | Mayor urges vigilance, warns of persistent flooding from Hurricane Ian

Jacksonville residents could experience flooding in certain parts of the city as late as Sunday, Mayor Lenny Curry advised Thursday afternoon.

Hurricane Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm early Thursday morning, but upgraded again to a Category 1 hurricane around 100 miles off the Jacksonville coast. Still, Curry warned against returning to normal during both of his Thursday press conferences at the city's Emergency Operations Center.

"I want to make clear we're not out of the woods, and you should not let your guard down," Curry said. | Read more --Hanna Holthaus

5:00 a.m. | Updated tracking map, forecast for Hurricane Ian

Here's the latest update on Hurricane Ian from the National Hurricane Center.

Read live updates from Thursday, Sept. 29, here. 

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Friday updates on Ian: What you need to know about impact, aftermath