MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. – Hobe Sound residents continue to brace for more flooding heading to a weekend of wet weather.
On Friday, many parts of Martin County received a much-needed break from the rain, but floodwaters were still an issue since the ground was so saturated.
“I haven’t seen it like this in forever and I come from an island in New Jersey that floods when it rains,” said John Beale, a resident in the Pinecroft Condominium Association.
Beale shared the community effort that banned together right away when a neighbors car was stranded in the flooded parking lot.
“It’s crazy,” Beale explained about the week of heavy rainstorms. “But it brings our neighborhood together. Everyone is helping each other, it’s the coolest part.”
Hurricane Season began on June 1st, and this week’s extensive flooding is prompting many to fine-tune their preparation and response plan to severe weather.
The Atlantic hurricane season ends November 30.
Longtime resident, Kevin Osburn, has also called the Pinecroft Condominium Association home for at least 16 years. However, the flooding his family experienced this week reminded him of the devastation following Hurricane Frances in 2004.
“We’re technically not in a flood zone so that’s something we may have to consider now,” said Osburn.
According to WPTV First Alert Chief Meteorologist Steve Weagle, a flood watch is in effect for Palm Beach County until Saturday at 8 p.m., and the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee County until Sunday at 8 p.m.
“We have pretty good chances for rainfall over the next four days,” said Weagle. “The biggest threat will be flooding as our ground is already very saturated, but a couple of strong thunderstorms would not be out of the question.”