Beaches Close as Hurricane Erin Brings Deadly Rip Currents to Mid-Atlantic
The Category 3 storm was churning through the Atlantic, several hundred miles east of the Carolinas, on Tuesday morning. A high risk of rip currents was forecast for beaches in New Jersey and Delaware through Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Rip currents have been blamed for at least one death in New Jersey in the past week.
The closures announced on Monday affected beaches in Margate, Wildwood, Bay Head, Island Beach State Park and other popular spots along the Jersey Shore. Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey urged residents and visitors not to swim in the ocean over the next few days, citing the risk of rip currents and high waves.
In Delaware, Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach — where President Biden and his family have vacationed for decades — were among those closed on Monday.
What is the risk of rip currents?
1-day risk
Low
Moderate
High
The New York Times
At least three dozen people in the United States have drowned in the surf so far this summer. Most were caught in rip currents, according to the National Weather Service.
One swimmer died and four others were rescued from the waters off Seaside Heights, N.J., after they were caught in a rip current on Aug. 11, when lifeguards were off-duty, the authorities said.
In July, a man died after rushing into the surf in Pawleys Island, S.C., to save swimmers in a rip current, the police said.
Yan Zhuang contributed reporting.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Southern California to get hit by most intense heat wave this week, drawing fire concerns
The Brief Fire weather alerts have been issued for the Los Angeles area, raising concerns about wildfire preparedness. City officials and former mayoral candidates express concerns about the city's readiness, citing issues with fire truck maintenance and brush clearance. The mayor's office states that the city is hiring mechanics, acquiring new equipment, and taking steps to prepare for the upcoming fire season. A fire weather watch and red flag warnings have been issued for later this week across portions of Southern California. The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings across large sections of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, while a fire weather watch is also in place. According to forecasters, extreme triple-digit heat, low humidity, strong winds, and dry brush could cause any spark to grow into what they call a "large plume-dominated fire." Fires big enough to grow out of control, creating their own weather. A situation all too familiar for those impacted in January by the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires. Earlier this month, FOX 11 interviewed former candidate for L.A. mayor, Rick Caruso, who has been helping with fire recovery. He expressed concerns about whether the city is better prepared for the peak fire season. "We better be ready, because you can't get a bigger warning than we just had seven months ago," Caruso said. "How many fire trucks that were sitting in mothballs have come back into service? How about all the brush and vegetation 40 years old still sitting behind Brentwood? Are all the fire hydrants working? Have the water supplies been checked? If it has been done, you would think that would be the top press conference [saying] we are now ready." After the Palisades Fire, there were reportedly as many as 75 LAFD trucks out of service at a city maintenance yard. On Monday, FOX 11 counted at least 15 firetrucks visible at the maintenance lot, and dozens more ambulances. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was unavailable to answer our questions Monday about fire preparation, but her office provided a written statement regarding concerns over fire trucks out of service for maintenance. "The city is in the process of hiring the civilian mechanics position approved by the budget Mayor Bass signed," a mayor spokesperson said. "Over the last few months, the LAFD has received many donations of equipment, including new vehicles, while also utilizing MICLA funds to purchase new equipment." In an exclusive interview Monday, we asked L.A. City councilwoman Traci Park if she feels like the city is more prepared for a wildfire than eight months ago. "I think we have a long way to go," Park said. "I think we have the attention of leaders in the city [and] a lot of effort ongoing. The reality at the end of the day is we need new fire stations, we need massive hiring, and we need to expand the resources." The mayor's office on Monday directed city departments to prepare for the expected heat wave later this week, with augmented cooling centers open to keep residents safe. "LAFD is closely monitoring the forecast and will preposition resources as needed throughout the city," a mayor spokesperson said. "LAFD has been actively conducting brush inspections and brush clearance. LAFD is also working to ensure fire roads are maintained across the city." Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Virginia Beach emergency officials prepare for Erin
VIRGINA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Hang in there locals. In 13 days, you can have your beloved beach back. Until then, King Neptune and Virginia Beach Emergency Management officials are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Erin, as it's going to be rough going at the Oceanfront over the next three days, with rip currents being a problem. And high waves and strong gusts will also remind us of Erin's presence. 'Rght now, we're just really keeping a close eye on the forecast and the development of Hurricane Erin,' said Virginia Beach Director of Emergency Management Dave Topczynski. 'You know, there's a lot of differences in the tracks of where how close [Erin] could come to the coast or stay offshore. So right now, we're going through our checklist, looking at the different predictions and how it could impact the city.' The Oceanfront remains a popular destination, as summer winds down. Stil, tourists and residents spending time here this week will want to be careful. 'One nice person yesterday asked me, 'Is that for real, all these warnings we're getting?' And I said, 'Absolutely it is,'' said Tom Gill, chief of the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service, 'because when it gets to be as big as they say it's going to be, it's not going to be swimmable. We'll be keeping people out of the water.' The Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service placed red flags in the resort area Monday night to warn people of the dangerous water conditions. They expect those conditions to worsen through the week. 'Definitely keeping an eye on the forecast, though, and Erin's track, because that is going to directly imapct wave height, rip current strengths and our preparations over the next couple days,' Gill said. But that isn't stopping anyone from enjoying the sand. 'This is our first time visiting Virginia Beach, so we actually just got in yesterday,' said tourist Swati Dasari. Many people have no plans to cut their trip short. Officials say you don't have to either, as the only likely issue the Oceanfront could see are high winds and less-than-desirable swimming conditions. 'There's been a lot of people getting too comfortable in the water, and before you know it you're not where you started out,' said Virginia Beach resident Jose Vera. 'Be careful and keep an eye out for red flags. There's people out here whose job is to keep you safe.' So be sure to use caution. 'Virginia Beach is a beautiful place and we're really not going to see the effects where it's not gonna be a fun time to be here in Virginia Beach,' Gill said, 'just not in the water, and the beach might be a little rough for a couple days depending on what the winds do those north-northeastern winds that we're expecting to see.' If Erin decides to become memorable in the 757, emergency planners say it won't be from what falls from the sky, but from what the Atlantic Ocean delivers. As the Erin watch continues, Topczynski listed the best-case and worse-case scenarios. 'Best case scenario: it's cloudy like today and a little bit overcast and stays out and there's some great waves for the surf and championship down there,' Topczynski said. 'Worst case is it tracks a little bit west and we're looking at some gusty winds, maybe some trees down and some of that moderate coastal flooding that we'll have to manage.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
an hour ago
What to know about powerful Hurricane Erin as it heads past the US East Coast
Island communities off the coast of North Carolina are bracing for flooding ahead of the year's first Atlantic hurricane, Hurricane Erin. Although forecasters are confident that the storm won't make direct landfall in the United States, authorities on a few islands along North Carolina's Outer Banks issued evacuation orders and warned that some roads could be swamped by waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters). By Monday night the storm's top sustained winds had dropped to 130 mph (210 kph) but it's still a major, dangerous hurricane. Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. Here is what to know about Hurricane Erin. Forecasters say Erin will turn northeast — and away — from the eastern U.S. Still, the storm is expected to bring tropical storm force winds, dangerous waves and rip currents to North Carolina's coast. That is according to Dave Roberts of the National Hurricane Center. Coastal flooding in North Carolina is expected to begin Tuesday. Evacuations were being ordered on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island along North Carolina's Outer Banks even though the storm is unlikely to make direct landfall. Authorities warned that some roads could be swamped by waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters). The orders come at the height of tourist season on the thin stretch of low-lying barrier islands that juts far into the Atlantic Ocean. There are concerns that several days of heavy surf, high winds and waves could wash out parts of the main highway running along the barrier islands, the National Weather Service said. Some routes could be impassible for several days. Portions of Highway 12 on Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands are most at risk for storm surge, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said. Erin's outer edges hit parts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with heavy rains and tropical-storm winds on Sunday, knocking out power for thousands. Storm surge is the level at which sea water rises above its normal level. Much like the way a storm's sustained winds do not include the potential for even stronger gusts, storm surge doesn't include the wave height above the mean water level. Surge is also the amount above what the normal tide is at a time, so a 15-foot storm surge at high tide can be far more devastating than the same surge at low tide. Government officials in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which has a population of just over 46,000, said all services were suspended on three of its islands and ordered residents there to stay home. The easternmost islands of the British territory have been most impacted by heavy rainfall and powerful winds. Bermuda won't feel the full intensity of the storm until Thursday evening, acting Minister of National Security Jache Adams said, and services on the island were still 'open for business" on Monday afternoon. But Adams issued a stark warning that storm surge, which could reach up to 24 feet (7.3 meters) by Thursday, would make waters too dangerous to swim, surf or boat in. A year ago, Hurricane Ernesto stayed hundreds of miles offshore from the U.S. Eastern seaboard yet still produced high surf and swells that caused coastal damage. Erin's strength has fluctuated significantly over the past week. The most common way to measure a hurricane's strength is the Saffir-Simpson Scale that assigns a category from 1 to 5 based on a storm's sustained wind speed at its center, with 5 being the strongest. Erin reached a dangerous Category 5 status Saturday with 160 mph (260 kph) winds before weakening. It is expected to remain a large, major hurricane into midweek. 'You're dealing with a major hurricane. The intensity is fluctuating. It's a dangerous hurricane in any event,' the hurricane center's Richard Pasch said. Although Erin is the first Atlantic hurricane of the year, there have been four tropical storms this hurricane season already. Tropical Storm Chantal made the first U.S. landfall of the season in early July, and its remnants caused flooding in North Carolina that killed an 83-year-old woman when her car was swept off a rural road. And at least 132 people were killed in floodwaters that overwhelmed Texas Hill Country on the Fourth of July.
