Treasure Coast - Tuesday August 29, 2023: Showers and squalls associated with outer rain bands from Idalia could reach east central Florida, north of Indian River County, later today. Conditions will deteriorate further into tonight and on Wednesday morning when Idalia makes landfall.
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect along the entire east coast north of the Sebastian Inlet. That warning also remains in effect for Lake, Osceola, Orange, Seminole, Volusia, and Brevard counties. But there are no watches or warning south of the Sebastian Inlet. The Treasure Coast and Okeechobee counties, and points further south, are in for some gusty winds and a few inches of rain.
Will Ulrich is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Melbourne. “Luckily, the Treasure Coast is far enough away from the center of circulation to not be concerned about sustained tropical storm force winds, so at this time all we’re expecting are basically passing squalls with windy conditions, at times.”
Landfall further south on the west coast might bring greater impacts here on the east coast, but Ulrich says the chances of that now are low. “Confidence is quite high that Idalia is going to make landfall somewhere along Florida’s Big Bend region and remain far enough away from the Treasure Coast where we just will have some peripheral effects from the system.”
However, there’s another storm which is by-passing Florida out in the Atlantic, Hurricane Franklin. “Franklin is quit the beast out there between us and Bermuda. As of this morning Franklin was a major hurricane with winds of almost 150 mph.”
And that’s churning up the Atlantic and sending large waves towards the east coast which create life threatening surf and ripe currents when they break ashore. “We’re already seeing some of those swells on their Treasure Coast and that’s enhancing the local rip current threat. So, over the next couple of days we encourage people to use extreme caution along our area beaches.”
HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK
* WHAT - Dangerous rip currents and rough surf.
* WHERE - Coastal Volusia, Coastal Indian River, Coastal Saint Lucie, Coastal Martin, Coastal Brevard Counties
* WHEN - Through Tuesday evening
* IMPACTS - Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water
PRECAUTIONS: Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from shore, which occur most often at low spots or breaks in the sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as jetties and piers. Heed the advice of lifeguards, beach patrol flags and signs.
Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don`t swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.