PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Windy weather and high surf created dangerous conditions across Palm Beach County beaches this weekend, prompting warnings from Ocean Rescue and keeping many beachgoers out of the water.
Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue said the dangerous conditions are expected to last through the weekend.
WATCH BELOW: Rough surf, rip currents keep beachgoers on high alert
"We have both a high rip current and a high surf advisory," said Nat Spurr, public information officer with Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue. "We’ve had five to 7-foot waves all day."
At Lake Worth Beach, red flags lined the shore, signaling dangerous water conditions. Visitors noticed the rough conditions almost immediately.
"The waves are super rough," said tourist Bethany Zorn. "We almost got knocked over a couple of times."
Her daughter, Aria Zorn, shared a similar experience.
"I just like jumped in there, and it’s really dangerous," Aria said.
Another beachgoer, Edward Shaine, described the conditions as unusually strong.
“They're probably about 6 to 8 feet high,” Shaine said. "We actually had (to move) our towel ... back because one wave almost came all the way up and washed us away."
Many visitors chose to stay out of the water entirely, wading only ankle-deep or relaxing on the sand instead.
"We didn’t check the water report today," Bethany Zorn added. "So when we came, it was way windier and we realized that we couldn't go swimming today, so we were a little bummed out."
Even seasoned beach visitors said they were caught off guard.
"With the waves being so high and the white caps on the water, I just wasn't expecting this," Shaine said. "I just wanted to chill out."
Despite the warnings, surfers were seen catching waves at Carlin Park in Jupiter, taking advantage of the conditions.
Spurr said lifeguards made at least one rescue Friday, highlighting how easy it is to be swept away by such powerful waves.
"Yesterday, the rescue, the person didn't actually intend to go into the water," Spurr said. "They intended to just wade into waist-deep water at the most, and they were taken out."
Spurr urged beachgoers to exercise extreme caution and know their limits.
"Always swim in front of a lifeguard. That’s most important," he said.
Many beachgoers told us they plan to heed the warnings.
"We're going to abide by the rules. We're not going to go out," Shaine said. "We're not looking for problems because it is dangerous out there."
"When it's rough like that, I see the flag and take precautions," added beachgoer Chad Gaffaney.
