Florida
Lightning strikes Florida beachgoer, injures two golfers as storms hit New Smyrna Beach
Three people were struck by lightning in New Smyrna Beach on June 20 during a round of severe weather that swept through Central Florida, officials confirmed.
A 29-year-old man was critically injured after being directly struck by lightning near the 27th Avenue beach approach, according to Volusia County Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs. First responders performed CPR before transporting him to a hospital, where he remained in critical condition as of Friday evening, CBS affiliate WKMG reported.
Two golfers also hit by lightning in New Smyrna Beach
Shortly after the beach incident, around 12:18 p.m., two golfers were indirectly struck by lightning at the Venetian Bay Golf Course, the city of New Smyrna Beach said in a statement.
“This serves as an important reminder of, ‘When thunder roars, go indoors.’ If you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning, even if the sky looks clear. Don’t wait for rain. Seek shelter in a fully enclosed building or a hard-topped vehicle immediately,” said Ava Hanner, Public Information Officer for the City of New Smyrna Beach.
Emergency crews from the New Smyrna Beach Fire Department evaluated the golfers on scene. Neither required transport to the hospital, the city confirmed.
Storms prompt weather warnings
Storms began developing around midday Friday across Central Florida and moved into the New Smyrna Beach area shortly afterward, triggering weather alerts. Photos from the beach scene showed first responders and bystanders surrounding the injured 29-year-old man shortly after the strike.
No additional details about the lightning incidents have been released.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Ahead of the coldest temperatures in years for Central Florida, the National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for Friday morning.
A freeze watch means temperatures of 32 degrees or lower are possible.
Exterior pipes should be protected in Marion, Sumter and northern Lake counties where temperatures could be below freezing for four to six hours.
Plants sensitive to the cold should be covered or brought inside by Thursday evening.
It’s also a good idea to bring pets inside.
A strong Arctic cold front is expected to arrive Thursday morning. Temperatures top out in the upper 50s and lower 60s early in the day, but are expected to fall for most of the afternoon.
Temperatures will bottom out in the 20s and 30s across Central Florida.
This does not include the wind.
Parts of Central Florida could again dip below freezing Saturday morning.
A reinforcing shot of cold air arrives Sunday which could send parts of Central Florida back below freezing Monday morning.
A big warmup arrives late next work week and into the following weekend.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A cruise ship that departed Florida has been hit by a norovirus outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reported that 94 people fell ill on the Holland America Line cruise ship Rotterdam during its voyage between Dec. 28, 2025, and Jan. 9, 2026.
Those affected by the norovirus outbreak showed the typical symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.
The virus, which is highly contagious, is the number 1 cause of foodborne illnesses in the United States, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms appear between 12 and 48 hours after exposure and can include other symptoms like stomach pain, headaches, and fevers.
According to the CDC, 85 passengers out of 2,593 reported being sick. Nine of the 1,005 crew members reported being ill as well.
The CDC said Holland America Line and the Rotterdam crew increased cleaning and disinfection measures and quarantined those who fell ill to prevent the disease from spreading further.
CruiseMapper.com showed that the ship departed Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 28. The cruise line’s website also has several future voyages out of Fort Lauderdale as well.
8 On Your Side has reached out to Holland America for more information on the outbreak.
After a push to nearly the end of the launch window, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off on Florida’s third launch of 2026.
The rocket lifted off at 4:08 p.m. Monday, January 12 from Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It had originally been scheduled for earlier in the afternoon, but the launch time was repeatedly pushed back. SpaceX did not give a reason for the change in timing.
The Falcon 9 carried 29 Starlink internet satellites to orbit on the booster’s 25th mission. No sonic booms were heard in Brevard County, as the booster landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Next SpaceX rocket launch from Cape Canaveral
The next Falcon 9 rocket launch from Florida is scheduled for no earlier than 1:01 p.m. Wednesday, January 14 from Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The mission is the next batch of SpaceX Starlink internet satellites, titled Starlink 6-98.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
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