It was a soggy Sunday for stretches of Fort Lauderdale beach and Miami Beach as high tides aggravated by Hurricane Sandy and a full moon pushed sand and water past the shore and into the streets.
Sandy also is responsible for cooler temperatures coming this week as the storm churns toward the Northeast.
Much of South Florida’s coastline felt the effects of Sandy and the full moon, with bigger waves and higher tides than normal.
Fort Lauderdale beach between Sunrise Boulevard and Bayshore Drive was hit hardest, with streets flooded and some drivers stranded.
State Road A1A between Bay- shore Drive and Northeast 20th Street was closed by floodwaters.
As high tides returned Sunday night in Fort Lauderdale, water again spilled into the streets. Primanti Bros., a pizza and sandwich shop on the beach just south of Sunrise Boulevard, kept its promise to stay open 24 hours, but only with the help of lots of sandbags.
It couldn’t open its doors, but that didn’t keep away the customers. So when they sloshed up the flooded street to the restaurant, it served them through its walk-up window.
“We’re pretty busy, actually,” said Jeff Boada, who described his job there as “pizza man.” “Everyone is out here at the beach, checking it out.”
The National Weather Service in Miami-Dade said it also received reports of flooding on Alton Road in Miami Beach and along the coast in Palm Beach County. One condominium at 10th Street and West Avenue in Miami Beach, just west of Alton Road, lost power because its electrical control box was flooded, Miami Beach officials said.
No injuries were reported in South Florida.
Late Sunday, a flood advisory remained in affect for the entire Atlantic coastline of South Florida. The culprits, according to the weather service, were a mix of Sandy’s effects aided by a full moon at high tide.
“One major factor, of course, is the large northerly swell generated by Hurricane Sandy,” meteorologist Brad Diehl said, “and, then at the same time, we’ve had a full moon.”
An exceptionally high tide is expected about 8:30 a.m. Monday, and the weather service advised commuters in low-lying coastal areas to be cautious.
While the ocean swells were expected to decrease over the next couple of days, the weather service advised beachgoers to stay out of the water due to a dangerous mix of larger than normal waves and a greater chance of rip currents.
Also coming this week are lower temperatures, brought by a cooler wind flow Sandy is pushing our way.
For Monday, the forecast called for highs in the lows 70s and lows in the 50s, possibly dipping into the high 40s.
For Tuesday, more of the same is predicted, with a high in the lows 70s and lows in the 50s. Both days are expected to be breezy and sunny.
















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