Gusty Wind Push Sand, Water Onto Ft. Lauderdale's A1A
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami.com) – Pounding surf and high tide caused a bit of problem on A1A along Ft. Lauderdale beach.
Due to a storm surge from a system between the Bahamas and Bermuda, sand, seaweed and water from the beach blew past the sea wall and onto the sidewalk and the northbound lanes of A1A, the worst of it just north of Sunrise Boulevard.
"We were looking and we noticed, 'Wait a minute, the water has come right up over,' and then we noticed it went right across the street," said beachgoer Kerry Conrod.
"We were watching it this morning, we were up very early we could see it coming up over the beach onto the road. It was quite a sight," said Susan Holden.
Workers spent much of the morning using shovels and small bull dozers to scoop the sand off the road and sidewalk and dump it back onto the beach. In some spots they used the sand to build improvised dunes to try and stop any more sand from blowing inland as the tide went out.
"We were here a year and a half ago and it wasn't like this. We never expected to see it across the road, coming across the road," said Connie Colegrove.
The National Weather Service has issued a High Surf Advisory for the coastline of Broward and Palm Beach counties through 9 p.m.
A low pressure system over the western Atlantic will bring gusty northeast winds, a large swell, high surf and breaking waves to the Palm Beach and Broward coast through Monday evening, according to the NWS.
Minor beach erosion and minor coastal flooding are also possible, especially along the Palm Beach coast, during times of high tide; around 5 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Breaking waves of 10 to 12 feet are expected along the Palm Beach coast, with waves of 8 to 10 feet possible along the northern Broward County coast.
The large pounding surf will make the surf zone very dangerous and getting in the water is not advised.
"It's dangerous. Like any other day, when the ocean is this rough we expect them not to go in," said Breck Ballou with Ft. Lauderdale Ocean Rescue. "If they do go in, they come talk to us first, they're obviously the experienced swimmers."
One of those 'experienced swimmers' was Steve Jakobot who showed up with surf board in hand.
"It's good to come out into our own backyard and surf," said Jakobot.
In addition to the dangerous surf conditions, there is also a high risk for rip currents through late Tuesday.
A rip current is a narrow powerful current which runs perpendicular to the beach, out into the ocean. These currents may extend 200 to 2,500 feet lengthwise, but they are typically less than 30 feet wide. Rip currents can often move at more than 5 miles per hour or faster.
Guide: How To Escape A Rip Current
According to the United States Lifesaving Association, 80 percent of surf beach rescues are attributed to rip currents.
Lifeguard stands are flying red flags to warn beachgoers of the potential danger of going in the water.
