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Central Florida beaches preparing for rough surf due to Hurricane Fiona

Central Florida beaches preparing for rough surf due to Hurricane Fiona
BEACHES FROM NOW THROUGH THE WEEKEND. BACK TO YOU GUYS. STEWART: BIG ROUGH SURF WILL BE A CONCERN ALONG CENTRAL FLORIDA BEACHES THE NEXT FEW DAYS BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HURRICANE FIONA WELL AWAY FROM US IS THE CULPRIT. MICHELLE: WESH 2’S CLAIRE METZ REPORTS, VOLUSIA COUNTY BEACH SAFETY OFFICIALS ARE WARNING SWIMMERS TO STAY NEAR OPEN LIFEGUARD TOWERS. >> THAT WOULD SCARE ME AND I LOVE THE WATER. I LOVE TO SCUBA I LOVE TO SNORKLE THAT WOULD SCARE ME. >> THESE VISITORS FROM WISCONSIN MAKE GOOD SENSE BECAUSE THIS IS SCARY SURF 4-6 RIGHT NOW AND STILL BUILDING THANKS TO THAT DISTANT HURRICANE. >> THEY WENT OUT ON THE JET SKI AND THEY WERE TRYING TO TELL EVERYBODY, HEY YOU GOT TO COME BACK, IT’S JUST TOO ROUGH RIGHT NOW, ITS NOT SAFE. >> IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. >> BEACH SAFETY IS SENDING THE SAME MESSAGE FROM NOW RIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND THE WAVES ARE CURRENTLY VERY POWERFUL. THIS KIND OF SURF WILL SLAM YOU >> INTO THE GROUND, IT CAN CAUSE INJURIES IF YOU NOT EXPERIENCED WE DO ASK YOU NOT TO GO OUT THERE. >> AND EVEN WHEN THE WAVES CALM DOWN BY THE WEEKEND THE THREAT OF RIP CURRENTS WILL NOT ONLY CONTINUE, IT WILL BE WORSE. >> HEAVY SURFACE PUTTING HOLES IN THE SANDBARS AND THEN WHEN WE GO INTO THE WEEKEND, THOSE RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS WILL BE STRONGER. >> IN ADDITION TO THESE ROUGH SEAS, BEACH SAFETY SAYS THEY’RE STARTING TO GET REPORTS OF JELLY FISH STINGS, SPECIFICALLY MAN O WAR THEY’RE NOT WASHING UP ON THE BEACH, AT LEAST NOT YET, BUT THEY ARE IN THE SHALLOW WATER. >> THEY SAY IT’S THE ONLY HOBBY THAT PAYS FOR ITSELF. WHILE NOT GREAT FOR SWIMMING, THE OCEAN CONDITIONS ARE A BONUS FOR TREA
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Central Florida beaches preparing for rough surf due to Hurricane Fiona
A big and rough surf will be a concern along Central Florida beaches the next few days. The cause is Hurricane Fiona.Volusia County Beach Safety officials are warning swimmers to stay near open lifeguard towers. "That would scare me and I love the water. I love to scuba, I love to snorkel. That would scare me," Connie Slak, a beach visitor, said.Visitors from Wisconsin make good sense because it's a scary surf 4-6 right now and still building due to that distant hurricane. RELATED: Hurricane Fiona to bring rough surf, swells to east coast"They went out on the jet ski and they were trying to tell everybody, 'Hey, you got to come back. It's just too rough right now, it's not safe,'" Julie Williams, a beach visitor said. "It could be very dangerous," Tammy Malphurs, of Volusia County Beach Safety, said. Beach Safety is sending the same message through the weekend, which is that the waves are currently very powerful."This kind of surf will slam you into the ground. It can cause injuries if you're not experienced. We do ask you not to go out there," Malphurs said. Even when the waves calm down by the weekend, the threat of rip currents will not only continue, it will be worse.RELATED: Tracking Invest 98-L: Will system pose threat to Florida?"Heavy surf is putting holes in the sandbars and then when we go into the weekend, those rip current conditions will be stronger," Malphurs said. In addition to the rough seas, Beach Safety said they're starting to get reports of jellyfish stings, specifically the man o' war.They're not washing up on the beach, at least not yet, but they are in the shallow water. While not great for swimming, the ocean conditions are a bonus for treasure hunters."They say it's the only hobby that pays for itself," Wayne Schutts, a treasure hunter, said.The churned-up sea might bring up something precious. "We look for that big storm that doesn't damage too much but brings stuff to where we can get to it for sure," Schutts said.

A big and rough surf will be a concern along Central Florida beaches the next few days. The cause is Hurricane Fiona.

Volusia County Beach Safety officials are warning swimmers to stay near open lifeguard towers.

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"That would scare me and I love the water. I love to scuba, I love to snorkel. That would scare me," Connie Slak, a beach visitor, said.

Visitors from Wisconsin make good sense because it's a scary surf 4-6 right now and still building due to that distant hurricane.

RELATED: Hurricane Fiona to bring rough surf, swells to east coast

"They went out on the jet ski and they were trying to tell everybody, 'Hey, you got to come back. It's just too rough right now, it's not safe,'" Julie Williams, a beach visitor said.

"It could be very dangerous," Tammy Malphurs, of Volusia County Beach Safety, said.

Beach Safety is sending the same message through the weekend, which is that the waves are currently very powerful.

"This kind of surf will slam you into the ground. It can cause injuries if you're not experienced. We do ask you not to go out there," Malphurs said.

Even when the waves calm down by the weekend, the threat of rip currents will not only continue, it will be worse.

RELATED: Tracking Invest 98-L: Will system pose threat to Florida?

"Heavy surf is putting holes in the sandbars and then when we go into the weekend, those rip current conditions will be stronger," Malphurs said.

In addition to the rough seas, Beach Safety said they're starting to get reports of jellyfish stings, specifically the man o' war.

They're not washing up on the beach, at least not yet, but they are in the shallow water.

While not great for swimming, the ocean conditions are a bonus for treasure hunters.

"They say it's the only hobby that pays for itself," Wayne Schutts, a treasure hunter, said.

The churned-up sea might bring up something precious.

"We look for that big storm that doesn't damage too much but brings stuff to where we can get to it for sure," Schutts said.