JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. -- For about a week now, you may have noticed something a little different at the beach. The water's up a lot higher than it usually is, once again making beach erosion a big concern.
Take the moon phase, throw in an offshore weather system, add a dash of onshore winds, and it's the perfect recipe for the conditions we're seeing at Jacksonville Beach. There are a lot of waves, but only a little bit of beach.
Beachgoer Rob Duncan said, "Thought we'd come out here and enjoy the day, and came up and there's not a whole lot of beach to walk on or enjoy."
Unusually high tides have forced officials in Volusia, Flagler, and St. Johns counties to periodically close the beaches to vehicular traffic, leaving the beaches to be enjoyed only by walkers and a few brave surfers.
"It's kind of gloomy, and kind of gray and crazy," said Tami Duncan. "I can't believe there's someone out there."
The Army Corps of Engineers is watching to see just how much sand washes away. But workers there tell Action News they don't expect any long-term damage from this weather system.
So until the tide turns, beachgoers will just have to stay close to the dunes. Christina Ainsworth said she'll do just that, "I'm enjoying it. But I don't want to get soaked, so I'm going to stay further up, because it's coming pretty far."
Our meteorologists say things should be back to normal later this week.
