Key keywords: Florida coastal storm preparation, 14-foot Atlantic waves, 40MPH gusts Florida, beach city emergency response, 2024 Florida hurricane season, coastal flood advisory East Florida, Volusia County beach closures, Florida coastal erosion mitigation, Jacksonville Beach emergency plans The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a level 3 coastal hazard advisory on Tuesday, warning that Florida’s entire 580-mile Atlantic coastline will face 14-foot breaking waves and sustained 40MPH winds, with gusts up to 55MPH, between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday evening. The advisory also notes a 2 to 4 foot storm surge risk for low-lying coastal areas, as well as life-threatening rip currents that will extend up to 10 miles offshore, marking one of the most severe non-hurricane coastal weather events of the 2024 season so far. In Duval County, home to Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach, local officials announced full beach closures starting at 5PM Wednesday, with all public beach parking lots locked and monitored by local law enforcement to prevent unnecessary access. Public works crews have been deployed since early Tuesday to clear storm drains along coastal roadways, remove unsecured beach rental equipment including lounge chairs and umbrellas, and distribute 12,000 free sandbags to residents living in flood-prone neighborhoods. Local utility teams have also stationed extra repair trucks near the coast to address any power outages caused by downed tree limbs or wind damage. Volusia County, which suffered $23 million in coastal damage from a similar unseasonable storm last year, has taken even stricter measures. All temporary beachfront structures, including pop-up food stands, event tents and non-permanent lifeguard towers, have been disassembled and moved inland to avoid being washed away. The county’s emergency management team has activated 24/7 coastal monitoring patrols, and sent out emergency SMS alerts to all local residents and registered visitors warning them to avoid all coastal areas for the duration of the storm. Local school districts have also canceled all outdoor athletic events and field trips scheduled at beach locations through Friday to keep students out of harm’s way. Further south in Palm Beach County, port authorities have ordered all recreational boats and small fishing vessels to return to dock by 3PM Wednesday, and have closed all public piers and boat ramps until the advisory is lifted. Hotel operators along the coast have been required to notify all guests of the weather risk, and cancel all planned outdoor events including beach weddings, yoga classes and sunset cruises. State emergency management officials emphasized that even residents who have lived in the area for decades should take the warning seriously. “These waves are powerful enough to knock over adults standing on the dry sand, and the storm surge can flood coastal roads faster than most people expect,” said Florida Division of Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie during a press briefing Tuesday. “We are not issuing mandatory evacuation orders at this time, but we encourage all residents in low-lying zones to prepare a go bag and stay tuned to local alerts for updates.”