On September 2 , a fleet of eight aircraft evacuated all white residents from West End , Grand Bahama , to Daytona Beach , Florida . While the storm was near peak intensity on September 3 , the Weather Bureau issued hurricane warnings from Miami to Melbourne , Florida , with storm warnings extending northward to Jacksonville . Later that day , storm warnings , were issued from Key West to Cedar Key . About 2 @,@ 500 people evacuated by train from areas around Lake Okeechobee . By evening on September 3 , high tides sent sea spray over coastal seawalls in Palm Beach County as residents boarded up buildings ; structures on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach were said to be a " solid front " of plywood . Along the coast , observers reported very rough seas as the eye neared land .