Watch CBS News

Cooler Weather Keeps Memorial Day Weekend Crowds At Bay Sunday In Ocean City, Maryland

OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ) -- The crowds that flocked to the beach and boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, for the Memorial Day weekend seemed to subside Sunday morning as temperatures hovered in the low to mid-50s.

By the afternoon, more visitors had ventured out, many wearing sweatshirts and some wearing masks.

Despite the drop in temperatures and cloudy skies, lifeguard training continued on the beach. The prospective lifeguards sprinted up and down the beach during a pre-employment physical screening as a small number of onlookers cheered them on.

It was a far cry from the large number of beachgoers who headed out to enjoy the long weekend on Saturday, helped along by temperatures in the mid-70s and sunny skies.

Ocean City Maryland boardwalk 5.24.20 4
Fewer people visited the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, on Sunday as temperatures fell from the day before and clouds filled the sky.
Ocean City Maryland boardwalk 5.24.20 3
Fewer people visited the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, on Sunday as temperatures fell from the day before and clouds filled the sky.
Ocean City Maryland boardwalk 5.24.20 1
Fewer people visited the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, on Sunday as temperatures fell from the day before and clouds filled the sky.
Ocean City Maryland boardwalk 5.24.20 2
Fewer people visited the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, on Sunday as temperatures fell from the day before and clouds filled the sky.
Ocean City Maryland 5.23.20
Beachgoers flock to the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday during the Memorial Day weekend holiday.
ocean city maryland 5.23.20
Beachgoers flock to the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday during the Memorial Day weekend holiday.
ocean city maryland police
Police in Ocean City, Maryland, said many beachgoers are voluntarily complying with social distancing guidelines on Memorial Day weekend.

READ MORE: Ocean City, Maryland, Boardwalk Packed Saturday During Memorial Day Weekend

By mid-afternoon Saturday, the boardwalk was packed. While the Ocean City Police Department did not immediately have a number of citations that have been issued since the beach and boardwalk reopened two weeks ago, they said they've seen a lot of people voluntarily complying with social distancing guidelines.

READ MORE: Ocean City, Maryland Open For Visitors This Memorial Day Weekend, But There Are Some Restrictions

Wearing masks is recommended but not required for beachgoers; groups of ten or more, though, are not allowed.

Even with Saturday's pleasant weather, the coronavirus pandemic kept the number of visitors to the popular beach town below normal for the unofficial start of summer.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: 

Despite that, the pandemic could turn out to benefit Ocean City in the long run as fewer people travel long distances by plane.

"We're practicing social distancing, we're recommending that people wear their masks," Mayor Rick Meehan said Friday. "You know we're trying to get our message out for people to be courteous to others and to take responsibility for their actions and to make sure everybody can comply with the regulations."

For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.