Severe Storm Hits Orange Park: Hail, 60 MPH Winds & Downed Trees
Tuesday’s storm brought hail, powerful wind gusts, downed trees and widespread outages across Clay County. Here’s what happened, what was reported, and what homeowners should check now.
A line of severe thunderstorms moved through Clay, Duval, and St. Johns counties Tuesday afternoon, and by the time it cleared Orange Park, it had left downed trees, hail, and thousands of homes without power. If you live anywhere near the path of that storm, this is the week to look at your roof, not because something is definitely wrong, but because the kind of damage a storm like this causes is often invisible from the ground. Our Orange Park roofing team serves homeowners throughout Clay County from our Jacksonville office.
What actually happened
The National Weather Service in Jacksonville issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area shortly after 2 p.m., flagging the risk of 60 mph wind gusts and hail up to the size of a penny, with the storm line tracking through Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, Mandarin, and Fleming Island. By later that afternoon, local meteorologists were reporting downburst winds in the 50 to 60 mph range around Orange Park, while residents across Northeast Florida shared reports and images of hail alongside the wind.
Clay County reported at least four homes with trees fallen into them and at least 20 trees down countywide. One of those trees came down through a home on Red Oak Circle East, and further storm damage was reported to a strip mall roof in Jacksonville's Woodland Acres neighborhood. Power crews had their hands full too. JEA reported more than 8,000 customers without power at the height of the storm, with Mandarin the hardest hit, and Clay Electric reported more than 5,000 outages countywide, over half of them concentrated in the Orange Park service district.
The National Weather Service also issued a tornado warning for part of Clay County during the storm, based on rotation the radar picked up in the line. To be precise about what that means: a tornado warning is issued on radar indication, and as of the reporting available, no tornado touchdown had been confirmed through a damage survey. That distinction matters. A radar-indicated tornado warning confirms that meteorologists saw rotation capable of producing a tornado, but it does not by itself prove that a tornado touched down. Either way, severe thunderstorm winds can produce a very scattered damage pattern, with one street hit hard and the next block showing much less.
Why this matters even if nothing looks wrong
Sixty mile per hour gusts are enough to lift the edge of a shingle without tearing it off completely, which breaks the seal and leaves a gap that water finds during the next storm rather than this one. Penny-size hail will not always crack a shingle, but repeated impact can loosen granules or leave bruising that is difficult to see from the ground. Those weak spots can become more vulnerable as Florida sun, heavy rain, and additional storms continue to weather the roof.
None of that is visible from the driveway. It is visible from a ladder, with someone who knows what wind and hail damage actually looks like on a shingle roof, checking each roof slope, exposed edges, flashing, vents, valleys, and other vulnerable transitions for wind, impact, or water-entry evidence.
If a tree branch came down near your roofline, even without punching through, that is worth a look too. Impact damage to decking or flashing does not always leave a visible dent, and a compromised flashing seal around a chimney or vent is one of the most common sources of a slow leak nobody notices until it has already done drywall or insulation damage.
What to check this week
Roof surface
From the ground, look for missing, curled, or visibly displaced shingles, especially on the side of the roof that faced the storm. Do not climb up yourself, wet roofs and storm debris are not worth the fall risk.
Gutters and downspouts
Granules collecting in the gutter in unusual amounts is one of the more reliable ground-level signs of hail impact. A handful is normal wear. A noticeable new concentration after a storm is worth documenting and having evaluated, especially on an older roof.
Attic and ceilings
Check your attic for daylight, damp insulation, or new water stains, and keep an eye on ceilings for the next few weeks. A slow leak from wind-lifted shingles often takes more than one rain event to show itself indoors.
If any of that turns something up, or if you would rather have someone who does this daily take a look before you decide anything, that is exactly what a documented storm damage inspection in Jacksonville is for. We send someone out, they get on the roof, and you get dated photos of exactly what they found, whether that is nothing concerning, a minor repair, or something worth documenting for your insurance file. There is no charge for the inspection either way, and no obligation to hire us for anything after.
If you are already thinking about an insurance claim
JA Edwards of America is a licensed roofing and general contractor, not an insurance company or public adjuster. We can inspect the roof, document visible conditions, prepare a roofing scope, explain our proposed roofing work, and be present during an adjuster inspection to answer construction-related questions. We do not interpret your policy, determine coverage, or advise you whether a claim should be filed. Questions about coverage, deductibles, or claim decisions belong with your insurance company, agent, attorney, or licensed public adjuster, as applicable.
If you decide to contact your insurer, dated photos and a contractor’s written roofing scope can give the carrier a clearer record of the property condition close to the storm date. That documentation can still be useful even if no claim is ultimately filed.
Florida Roofing & Insurance Notice
- You are responsible for payment of any insurance deductible that applies to your property insurance claim.
- It is insurance fraud, punishable as a third-degree felony, for a contractor to knowingly or willfully, with intent to injure, defraud, or deceive, pay, waive, or rebate all or part of an insurance deductible applicable to payment to the contractor for repairs covered by a property insurance policy.
- It is insurance fraud, punishable as a third-degree felony, to intentionally file an insurance claim containing false, incomplete, or misleading information.
Questions we are getting this week
Was this actually a tornado?
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for part of Clay County based on rotation detected by radar during the storm. That is different from a confirmed tornado, which requires a National Weather Service damage survey after the fact. As of publication, the local reporting linked below had not cited a National Weather Service damage survey confirming a tornado touchdown from this event. The straight-line downburst winds alone, reported at 50 to 60 mph, were strong enough to explain the tree and structural damage being reported.
My roof looks fine from the ground. Do I still need an inspection?
If your area saw hail or sustained wind gusts, it is worth a look. Wind and hail damage on asphalt shingles frequently is not visible from the ground or even from most upstairs windows. A free inspection takes the guessing out of it, and if everything checks out, you have a dated report confirming that for your records.
How fast can someone come out?
We are actively scheduling storm inspections across Clay County this week. Call our Jacksonville office directly and we will get you on the schedule as quickly as possible given demand right after a storm like this.
Do you handle the insurance claim for me?
No. We do not act as your public adjuster or determine insurance coverage. We document the roof’s condition, provide a roofing scope, and can answer construction-related questions during an adjuster inspection. Coverage and claim decisions remain between you and your insurer and any properly licensed representative you choose.
What if a tree fell near my roof but did not go through it?
Get it looked at. Impact from a falling branch can crack decking, dislodge flashing, or damage shingles without leaving an obvious hole, and those are exactly the kind of issues that turn into a leak weeks later. It is worth a few minutes on the roof to rule it out.
Sources
- National Weather Service Jacksonville, Severe Thunderstorm Warning, effective August 18, 2026, citing 60 mph wind gusts and penny-size hail across Clay, Duval, and St. Johns counties.
- News4Jax, Massive tree crashes through Orange Park home during storm, August 19, 2026.
- News4Jax, Viewers capture damage, intense hail as powerful afternoon storms swept Northeast Florida, August 18, 2026.
- Action News Jax / WOKV, Afternoon storm causes trees to go through four houses in Clay County, thousands without power, August 18, 2026.
- News4Jax, Thousands of JEA customers without power after storms roll through Northeast Florida, August 18, 2026.
Get your roof checked before the next storm
Free documented inspection for homeowners across Clay, Duval, and St. Johns counties. Dated photos, written findings, no obligation.
JA Edwards of America is a licensed Florida roofing and general contractor (CGC1534283 / CCC1334804). We are not an insurance agency, agent, or public adjuster, and nothing in this article is insurance or legal advice. Follow official emergency guidance for storm-safety decisions. Storm details cited here come from the National Weather Service and Jacksonville-area news coverage as linked above and are accurate as of publication; conditions and damage assessments may be updated as officials complete their review.