FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Gusting winds and choppy conditions on the water were some of the effects Miami-Dade and Broward counties saw from the bands of Hurricane Helene Thursday. The conditions were expected to persist for another day or so.
High hazard flags signaled dangerous conditions for beachgoers throughout Fort Lauderdale Beach Thursday.
“Oh, I’m not going. I’m not going to risk it!” Hannah Rudy, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, said.
“It’s windy, not really prospering as much as I want to, but getting exfoliated from the sand, so I guess there’s a plus there!” Nancy Racine, a visitor from Connecticut, said.
At the beach, people were already feeling the impact of Hurricane Helene. Workers cleared debris that could clog drains, water pumps are on standby and neighbors are preparing, especially those who live in areas prone to flooding.
“It’s always flooded around here, and we get stuck and can’t go anywhere. It takes a while sometimes for the water to recede and go down, so basically, we don’t have any resources or anything to help us,” Isabel Edmund, a local resident, said.
Officials with the city of Fort Lauderdale have placed piles of sand at Floyd Hull Stadium and Mills Pond Park. These sites are open until 9 p.m. Thursday. Residents need to bring their own sandbags.
Earlier Thursday, rain and wind created a messy commute in Pembroke Pines and, in North Lauderdale, many people woke up to debris from trees scattered on the ground.
“I love the ocean. I just wanted to come out here and get a good glimpse before it gets too choppy,” Rudy said.
“We are on a boat, so we don’t have to worry about flooding,” Racine said.
In Miami-Dade, as of 6 a.m. Thursday, 23 arrivals and 20 departures have been canceled at Miami International Airport due to Helene.
Cities across Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean are affected.
MIA officials said more cancellations were expected Thursday and they are advising travelers to confirm their flight status before heading to the airport.
Miami-Dade Public Schools is the only public school district open Thursday. Also open are the Archdiocese schools.
Although not anticipating the brunt of the storm, the county is preparing for the worst.
Public works teams spent the day Wednesday cleaning and clearing out debris from catch basins so excess water can freely drain during the thick of downpours.
In Miami Beach, residents weren’t taking any chances, picking up sandbags for residents only.
“Hopefully (we don’t) have to use it, but if we do, we have it in place,” Shavon Whitehead, a Miami Beach resident, said.
Residents said they know it doesn’t take much for surface flooding to cause significant problems and, in some cases, property damage.
“Well, just the flooding we had in the past, just for security,” Bernard Superstein, another Miami Beach resident, said.
The city is designating a select number of parking garages to safeguard vehicles from flooding for residents at no cost. This service is available from now until Friday morning.
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