FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Fort Lauderdale beach on Saturday afternoon was a whole different scene than it was as night fell.
As the sun set, high winds began to pick up the surf and occasional downpours forced businesses to close outdoor dining. The conditions deteriorating as Tropical Storms Isaias moved closer to shore.
Red flags were out on on lifeguard towers and beachgoers said they noticed a chance in the weather throughout the day and into the early evening.
“We saw some wind and some sand blowing,” Christine Hlavaca said.
Others could be seen jogging, riding scooters and snapping photos as the dark clouds rolled in.
"I'm just looking at the nature before Mother Nature comes and blows us away right now," one woman said.
That was until the outer bands of the storm moved in and beachgoers moved out. The storm projected to skirt up the east coast, but people we spoke with were not too concerned about what South Florida was going to endure.
“Based on some of the prior experiences this doesn’t look too bad,” Fort Lauderdale resident Phil Gehring said.
Businesses across Broward County prepared for the worst, just in case.
Port Everglades has been closed to inbound ships and COVID-19 testing sites shut down throughout Broward. Drawbridges have also been locked down.
Elsewhere in the county, preparations are well underway.
Homeowners received free sandbags in Hallandale Beach while over in Dania beach, crews cleaned out storm drains.
And if it does flood, some Broward County cities have putting stakes in the ground so drivers can see the edge of streets.
Fortunately, as of Saturday night there wasn’t any flooding from the storm, at least not along Fort Lauderdale beach.