Hurricane Florence Expected To Bring Rip Currents To Tri-State Beaches
LONG BEACH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – Hurricane Florence may be hundreds of miles away, but the storm is still expected to impact Tri-State beaches.
There will be strong rip currents and surge along the East Coast, which is why authorities want people to avoid the water.
The National Weather Service reports surf heights in New York are building up to eight to 12 feet.
The Jersey Shore is seeing dangerous conditions, as well. On Thursday, the Atlantic City Beach Patrol declared the ocean is off-limits.
"Came up a lot rougher and a lot quicker than we anticipated today. We felt we might have a little bit of a clean day – absolutely not," Chief Steve Downey said.
"I won't repeat the words precisely, but please may I ask you to get off the beach, pretty please," said Gov. Phil Murphy.
According to the National Weather Service, large breaking waves will likely result in widespread beach erosion and flooding, with possible minor damage to the base of dune structures.
Reminder: It's no longer beach season, so there are no lifeguards on duty and swimming is prohibited in many places.