Gov. Ron DeSantis added Palm Beach County to the state flood emergency Wednesday. The order bans price gouging and allows 30-day emergency prescription refills.

Palm Beach County is now under a state of emergency for the weekend’s flooding. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the order Wednesday.

Updated Nov. 6: the city now says 94% of its roads are clear and every city park has reopened. Rustic Lakes and Vintage Oaks are still open to emergency vehicles only. Details under “Where Palm Beach Gardens stands.”

Executive Order 26-228 adds Palm Beach County and six others to the flood emergency he declared Monday. The order says parts of the county, “including the City of Riviera Beach, witnessed record breaking, severe, and heavy rainfall of over 19 inches within a twelve-hour period.” Riviera Beach is about seven miles south of Palm Beach Gardens.

The emergency now covers 14 counties:

Added Monday, Nov. 2 Added Wednesday, Nov. 4
Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie Glades, Hendry, Lake, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Seminole, Volusia

Monday’s order, Executive Order 26-227, runs for 60 days unless the governor extends it. That takes it to about Jan. 1. Wednesday’s amendment ends at the same time.

What the emergency changes

Every rule in Monday’s order now applies in Palm Beach County. The parts that touch households most directly:

  • Price gouging is illegal. Under the order, it is unlawful to sell or rent “any essential commodity” at “an unconscionable price” in the emergency area. That includes supplies, services and equipment people need because of the flooding.
  • Emergency prescription refills. Pharmacists may dispense up to a 30-day emergency refill of maintenance medication to people who live in a county covered by the order.
  • Replacement documents. The state’s highway safety department may waive fees for replacement driver’s licenses, ID cards, license plates, registrations, titles and disabled parking permits lost to the weather. It may also waive late renewal fees.
  • The National Guard. The order activates the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard as needed.
  • Faster local spending. Cities and the county may skip normal procurement and contracting steps to hire workers, rent equipment and pay for recovery work.
  • Housing money. The Florida Housing Finance Corp. may send funds to counties and cities in the emergency area.

The order is a state declaration. It is not a federal disaster declaration, which only the president can make.

Where Palm Beach Gardens stands

The city’s heavy rainfall update puts the rain at 15 to 23 inches over 72 hours across Palm Beach Gardens and Riviera Beach. The city said both the two-day and three-hour totals fall between a 1-in-200-year and a 1-in-500-year event.

Its latest road update, as of 2:25 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, said 94% of city roadways had been cleared. The city said:

  • Cypress Hollow is clear, and the pump there has been removed.
  • The Hunt Club entrance has standing water but is passable. The rest of Hunt Club is clear.
  • All of Steeplechase, Horseshoe Acres and PGA National are clear.
  • Rustic Lakes is still open only to fire, EMS and Public Works vehicles.
  • Vintage Oaks can be reached only by a fire brush truck or a Public Works loader.

The city closed its partial emergency operations center at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Public Works and police mark every city road on the city’s live flood map, which shows cleared, passable and impassable streets by address.

Parks and golf

All city parks have reopened, the city said in the same update. That includes Lake Catherine Sportsplex and PGA National Park, which stayed closed when the rest reopened Tuesday. Some athletic fields may still be too wet to use; the city posts field status on its daily weather closures page.

Sandhill Crane Golf Course and The Nest Par-3 Golf Course are closed through Sunday, Nov. 8. The city said it hopes to reopen both Monday, Nov. 9, after another check over the weekend. Sandhill Crane’s driving range (mats only), putting green and Dancing Crane restaurant are open. Casey’s Cafe at The Nest is closed. The golf shop will contact players with tee times to reschedule.

The weather now

The National Weather Service forecast for Palm Beach Gardens is dry through the weekend: sunny Saturday and mostly sunny Sunday, with highs of 83 to 85.

The National Weather Service in Miami has a coastal flood statement for coastal Palm Beach County through 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. It says isolated minor coastal flooding is possible around high tide, with some water on low-lying roads and property.

What it means for you

  • Check your street before you drive. Use the city’s live flood map and our road construction and closures page. Never drive through standing water.
  • Report price gouging to the Florida attorney general’s hotline, 1-866-9NO-SCAM, or through the attorney general’s website. Keep the receipt and a photo of the price.
  • Running low on medication? Ask your pharmacist about a 30-day emergency refill under the governor’s order.
  • Lost your license or tag in the water? Ask the Palm Beach County Tax Collector about the waived replacement fees before you pay.
  • Report flooding on your street through the city’s Request Tracker or call City Hall at 561-799-4100. Call 911 if anyone is in danger.
  • Trash pickup is running wherever streets are passable, with possible delays, the city said. Our trash and recycling page has the contacts.
  • Sign up for county alerts through AlertPBC, Palm Beach County’s emergency notification system.

How the storm unfolded, with the weather service’s rain totals, is in our flooding story from Monday.