Florida’s efforts to keep beaches clean and save lives in the ocean are taking a high-tech turn with the introduction of a cleaning robot.

The National Weather Service earlier this week warned that South Florida could experience the coldest Christmas Day in 21 years. Morning lows on Saturday could drop into the low 30s and 40s degrees Fahrenheit, the weather service said. Much colder temps expected for Christmas," the National Weather Service in Miami tweeted earlier this week. A squall line with severe storms and fast-moving winds also was headed for north Florida on Christmas Eve. The pandemic also was impacting a Space Coast tradition — Surfing Santa Day, which takes place the day before Christmas.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Leaders in Cocoa Beach announced on Friday that the city will no longer require the public to wear a face covering starting Monday. Now just over three months later, officials are putting an end to mask requirements while Florida continues to see a rise in cases and deaths. “Again, we have zero ability to regulate it.”The governor’s executive order doesn’t specifically address mask mandates because a statewide mask mandate was never issued. In Central Florida, Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties continue to have mask mandates in effect. Cocoa Beach officials said while the city can longer enforce a mask mandate, private owned businesses can continue to have mask policies as they see fit.

In ordinary times, the beaches and roads along Floridas Space Coast would be packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, eager to witness the first astronaut launch from Florida in nine years, scheduled for May 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)ORLANDO, Fla. In ordinary times, the beaches and roads along Floridas Space Coast would be packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, eager to witness the first astronaut launch from Florida in nine years. Earlier this month, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine asked potential spectators to watch the launch online or on TV from home. NASA astronauts have not launched from the U.S. since the space shuttle program ended in 2011. Although crowd sizes varied, a high-profile space shuttle launch could attract a half million visitors to the Space Coast.

Getty ImagesPeople take photos as the sun rises over a nearly empty beach as Hurricane Dorian lingers offshore Tuesday in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Getty ImagesTwo men observe a squall caused by Hurricane Dorian, which is looming in the Atlantic Ocean, on Tuesday in Ormond Beach, Florida. Getty ImagesA woman takes a picture as the effects of Hurricane Dorian begin to be felt Monday in Cocoa Beach (Scott Olson/Getty Images). Getty ImagesWaves roll in to shore as Hurricane Dorian continued to make its way toward the Florida coast Monday in Indialantic, Florida (Scott Olson/Getty Images). Getty ImagesPeople were seen making sandbags Saturday at the citys municipal center in New Smyrna Beach, Florida (Mark Wilson/Getty Images).