VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Gusty winds and rain are bringing rough waves to the Volusia County coast, but officials say that weather could actually be good for the beach.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Volusia County Beach Safety Captain Tammy Malphurs says they’re expecting to see extreme high tides, strong surf, and extremely windy conditions at the beach throughout the weekend due to the potential nor’easter expected to batter the east coast.
“We expect to be closed to driving most of the time because of those extreme high tides,” Capt. Malphurs said.
While the weather may not be ideal for a day at the beach, Malphurs says the storm could have some positive effects along the coast.
READ: Police: 16-year-old girl among 3 found dead inside Orlando condo
She says it could cause some erosion, which would help with soft-sand issues along the driving lanes in the northern part of the shoreline.
“It does remove a little bit of that soft sand,” Malphurs said. “It makes the sand more hard-packed. That way we can eliminate all the four-wheel drive only areas and allow more people on the beach.”
READ: NASA makes final preparations for rocket heading around the moon in February
Officials from other cities along the coast say they’re waiting to see what the nor’easter does before they make any major decisions, but they do have their public works departments on standby to respond to any flooding that occurs.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.