RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The forecast Tuesday morning calls for low temperatures in the mid to upper 40s across South Florida. That is sending tourists and manatees to a popular hot spot in Palm Beach County.
Manatees depend on water generally warmer than 68 degrees Fahrenheit to survive the winter, so when temperatures tumble they travel to Florida springs, power plant discharges and other warm-water sites.
Manatee Lagoon is already seeing an influx in the number of sightings at the Florida Power and Light Eco-Discovery Center in Riviera Beach.
"It's something that we wait to see all year long, so we're so excited, and it's fun," said Sarah Marmion, manager of Manatee Lagoon. "Whether it's just one or 100 manatees, people love it. When you see the volume that I think we're going to get, it's going to be super exciting."
Manatee Lagoon is located at 6000 N. Flagler Drive near West Palm Beach.
Admission and parking are free.
Click here to learn more about the center or to see the live manatee web camera.
