HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – As areas in Broward County remain under a flood watch until Thursday morning, the conditions didn’t stop beachgoers from enjoying a day at Hollywood Beach on Wednesday.
Local 10 News spoke with visitors from Tennessee and the Orlando area who were looking to get away from the gloomy weather but were greeted with excessive rain and flooding at the beach.
“I got in on Monday and the beach was packed, but now it’s empty,” said Chris Toner, who is visiting from Orlando. “You can’t blame others for not showing up.”
Despite the conditions, a Local 10 News crew was at Hollywood Beach where people were seen jogging, walking and even riding their bikes in the area, not letting the gloomy weather knock them down.
“I would like a little bit of sun today, but this is great,” said another beachgoer.
Other visitors were seen holding on to their clothing while forcing their way through the strong winds as they hurried back to their cars.
High tide also leads to rough surfing conditions, which could keep people chasing waves away from Hollywood Beach.
“I’m a good swimmer, but I’m not that good. I would recommend nobody go,” said Toner.
Patrick Ward, who was visiting from Naples, said the waves in Hollywood are a lot bigger than they are over on the Gulf Coast.
“The beach looks crazy, but a lot of times we do see people windsurfing out there with these waves. So if you are a Floridian, this does not bother you,” said Angela Simeon, a manager at Ocean Alley in Hollywood Beach.
Some drivers in the area found themselves stalling out as storms moving through South Florida brought heavy rainfall and street flooding Tuesday night.
The rain rolled in quickly, inundating highways and surface streets. It proved to be too much for quite a few drivers.
One driver found herself stalled on Northeast 11th Avenue near Commercial Boulevard in Oakland Park.
A series of weather-related stallouts were also reported in Pompano Beach, but the rain receded fairly quickly.
A Local 10 News was in Oakland Park Tuesday evening, where many drivers were seen calling tow trucks after their cars stalled due to the flooding.
AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IN BROWARD CANCELED WEDNESDAY
Broward County Public Schools announced that they have canceled all after-school activities/operations on Wednesday due to heavy rains and potential flooding in the area.
Cancellations include:
After-school activities, including field trips, sporting events and other planned night events
All evening classes (Technical Colleges, Community Schools and Adult Centers)
Virtual Town Hall Meeting – panel discussion on disparities and inequities
After-school childcare is not canceled; however, parents are urged to pick up their children as soon as possible.
Regular school operations will resume on Thursday.