A surfer takes advantage of the weather by the Bal Harbour Lighthouse as the waves crash against the jetty on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Bal Harbour, Fla. The gusty winds, heavy rain, flooded streets and other hazards are expected continue over the weekend in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. (David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP)
Bob Givehchi, left, and his son Daniel, 8, Toronto residents visiting Miami for the first time, walk past debris and palm trees blowing in gusty winds, at Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables, Fla., Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. It's beginning to look at lot like…hurricane season, at least across much of South Florida, where it's been windy and rainy for two days and the forecast predicts more of the same this busy holiday season weekend. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
A surfer takes advantage of the weather by the Bal Harbour Lighthouse as the waves crash against the jetty on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Bal Harbour, Fla. The gusty winds, heavy rain, flooded streets and other hazards are expected continue over the weekend in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. (David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP)
Bob Givehchi, left, and his son Daniel, 8, Toronto residents visiting Miami for the first time, walk past debris and palm trees blowing in gusty winds, at Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables, Fla., Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. It's beginning to look at lot like…hurricane season, at least across much of South Florida, where it's been windy and rainy for two days and the forecast predicts more of the same this busy holiday season weekend. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — It’s beginning to look at lot like ... hurricane season — at least across much of South Florida, where it’s been windy and rainy for two days and the forecast predicts more of the same this busy holiday season weekend.
With Saturday expected to be stormy over most of the state, outdoor holiday parties have been canceled and outside decorations that aren’t battened down might just blow away.
And that’s not all. The mass of wind and rain is expected to head up the East Coast of the United States just in time for the start of the holiday travel season.
“Saturday looks like a complete washout as this disturbance moves over,†said George Rizzuto, a meteorologist at the ºÃÉ«tv Weather Service in Miami. “The northern part of Florida will be at risk for some pretty heavy rainfall tomorrow basically through the entire day on Saturday.â€
Holiday events across the state were canceled, such as the Christmas boat parade in Indian Rocks Beach along the Gulf Coast. “See you next year,†the town said. At least five boat parades were canceled or postponed in South Florida, including the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade in Fort Lauderdale.
“The safety and well-being of our participants and spectators are of utmost importance to us,†Winterfest organizers said on . “The inclement weather conditions, beyond our control, make it impossible to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.â€
Rizzuto said winds of 20 to 30 mph (32 to 48 kph) are expected across much of the coastline, with gusts up to 45 mph (72 kph).
Gale warnings have been issued along the coast, and Rizzuto advises boaters to take extra precaution.
“Out there over the water, you can expect some pretty rough seas with some wave heights around 12 to 15 feet,†he said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday activated the new Florida State Guard, a civilian volunteer organization created last year, to assist with any storm impacts from such things as flooding and high winds.
“The Florida State Guard plays an essential role in Florida’s preparation for and swift response to severe weather,†the Republican governor said in a news release.
By Saturday night, the storm was expected to be moving into southeast Georgia and then move up the Atlantic coast, arriving near the Carolinas by Monday, said Paige Klinger, a meteorologist with the ºÃÉ«tv Weather Service in Jacksonville.
“That can change based on how quickly it moves,†Klinger said.
Red flags warning beachgoers to exercise caution because of the high surf and strong current were flying Friday morning along many beaches on Florida’s Atlantic coast.
In fact, beachgoers in Volusia County, home to Daytona Beach, were being encouraged not to get into the water at all. If they did, they should enter the water near a lifeguard tower and not get beyond waist deep, Volusia County officials said in a warning.
As an extra precaution, county workers removed trash cans and portable restrooms from the beach.
In Hollywood, which is between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, to be mindful of floods. The area has had and some low-lying neighborhoods tend to flood in heavy rain, which is expected Saturday.
Further up the coast in Volusia County, Emergency Management Director Jim Judge urged local residents to make sure Christmas decorations were secured for the storm.
“Just take the normal precautions you would have with a tropical storm, and even though we’re not looking at anything near that way, if you take those precautions, then you’ll be able to weather this event,†Judge said.
___
Schneider reported from Orlando, Florida. Curt Anderson in St. Petersburg, Florida, contributed.
The ºÃÉ«tv Press. All rights reserved.
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