Latest news with #beachclosures
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
NYC beaches to close as Hurricane Erin threatens massive waves, riptides
Swimming will be prohibited at all New York City beaches Wednesday and Thursday as Hurricane Erin is threatening to bring dangerous rip currents and waves as high as 13 feet to shores all along the East Coast. Mayor Adams and Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, the city's Parks Department commissioner, announced the planned closures Tuesday afternoon. In a statement, they said visitors will be able to access the sand, but can't go into the water. 'We strongly urge all New Yorkers to heed these warnings and not risk their lives by entering the water,' Rodriguez-Rosa said. Parks Department lifeguards and Parks Enforcement Patrol officers will be posted along city beaches, including the Rockaways and Coney Island, to enforce the swimming prohibition, according to a press release disseminated by the Mayor's Office. Erin is the first Atlantic hurricane this year. The National Weather Service labeled it a Category 2 storm Tuesday morning as it barreled north from the Caribbean. A high surf advisory was placed in effect for Wednesday through Thursday for all Atlantic Ocean beaches, Governor Kathy Hochul said Tuesday. Ocean seas are expected to build 11 to 15 feet. 'New Yorkers are no strangers to hurricanes — that is why I'm urging those living in areas that may be impacted to stay safe and exercise caution until the hurricane tapers off later this week,' Hochul said. Hurricane Erin will roar past the Bahamas tonight and is expected to move northwest into the Atlantic between the East Coast and Bermuda on Wednesday and Thursday. The storm will produce life-threatening rip currents along East Coast beaches, impacting New York, New Jersey and Long Island, according to the National Hurricane Center. Tuesday afternoon, the tropical cyclone was around 650 miles southwest of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. The storm's intensity will fluctuate over the next few days. New York and New Jersey are expected to see rainfall as a result of the storm. Forecasters believe the center of the storm will remain far offshore as it travels northward, yet is still likely to bring damaging, tropical-force winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy urged people to avoid swimming at beaches on Tuesday. 'Hurricane Erin is expected to cause dangerous rip currents along the Shore for the next several days. Please avoid swimming in the ocean, especially when lifeguards are not present. It is more important that you stay alive than get one more beach day before the end of summer,' Murphy said on X. ________
CBS News
8 hours ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Assateague Island, Ocean City, Maryland beaches closed due to dangerous conditions from Hurricane Erin
The beaches at Assateague Island and Ocean City, Maryland, are closed due to dangerous rip currents and high surf brought on by Hurricane Erin. Officials announced the closures on Tuesday, saying swimming will be prohibited until further notice as the storm moves north, parallel to the East Coast. Currently, the storm is not expected to make landfall in the U.S. As of Tuesday morning, Erin is a Category 2 storm, weakening from a Category 5 on Saturday and a Category 3 on Sunday. Hurricane Erin has sustained winds of 105 mph as it moves northwest about 650 miles southwest of Bermuda and about 690 miles southeast of North Carolina. According to CBS News forecasters, Erin's strength could fluctuate over the next few days. Last week, Maryland beach officials warned beachgoers to stay out of the water as the storm brought dangerous rip currents to the East Coast. Rip currents often occur during low tide and are common near jetties and piers. "A rip current, a wave set comes in, and suddenly—I mean immediately—you can all of a sudden feel it pulling you backwards," said Butch Arbin, captain of the Ocean City Beach Patrol. "The fact is, a fast-running rip actually can flow faster than an Olympic swimmer can swim." On Tuesday, the National Park Service (NPS) announced beach closures around Assateague Island, on both the Maryland and Virginia sides. The island has over 30 miles of beach. "The primary reason for that right now is extreme rip current conditions that make it unsafe for anybody to be in the water, but the surf is also building, and give it another 24 hours, the surf conditions will also be unsafe for swimmers," said Hugh Hawthrone, Superintendent of Assateague Island National Seashore. Effective immediately, the Oversand Vehicle areas in Maryland and Virginia are closed due to flooding and beach erosion, officials said. All of the Oceanside Beaches are closed to water activities due to dangerous rip current conditions and expected high surf, according to NPS. The parking lots at Chincoteague Beach are partially closed, with officials expecting a full closure later. More closures are possible as NPS officials monitor wind speeds and tidal surges caused by Hurricane Erin. "Please stay out of the water for the next few days," Hawthorne urged. "It's not safe out there. The rip currents are extreme, and the surf is high and getting worse. By this time [Wednesday], it'll be extremely dangerous." "You can stand on the beach, but stay away from the water, don't get too close," he added. Find more information about closures at Assateague Island here. For those worried about Assateague's beloved horses, Hawthorne said the conditions shouldn't be much of a problem for the longtime island residents. "The horses are used to it; they've lived for many generations on the island," he said. "Minor hurricanes are not an issue for them. They'll just hunker down, they'll go back into the forest and hang out wherever they can get out of the wind." Also on Tuesday, Ocean City, Maryland, officials announced the water would be closed to public access due to the dangerous conditions. "The Town of Ocean City is anticipating dangerous surf zone conditions, large waves, and the potential for coastal flooding, according to US National Weather Service Wakefield VA," city police said in a social media post. Ocean City Beach Patrol shared a video showing ominous breaking waves as they experienced a high rip current risk. Lifeguards will remain on duty to remind individuals that swimming is prohibited, according to the Ocean City Beach Patrol.
New York Times
a day ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Beaches Close as Hurricane Erin Brings Deadly Rip Currents to Mid-Atlantic
Officials in New Jersey and Delaware closed several popular beaches to swimmers on Monday, disrupting the peak tourist season, as Hurricane Erin brought dangerous rip currents to the East Coast. 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.
CBS News
a day ago
- Health
- CBS News
Waseca closes beaches, lakes due to emergency wastewater discharge
The southern Minnesota city of Waseca has closed several beaches, boat ramps and bodies of water due to possible water contamination. The city said Clear Lake, Rice Lake, Giater Lake, Watkins Lake, Moonan Marsh and Crane Creek are closed "until further notice." The closures were caused by "emergency discharge of wastewater," the city said. Residents were warned contact with the potentially contaminated water could be hazardous to health. According to city communications, this has happened multiple times in Waseca over the past decade. The most recent such incident was in June. That closure lasted three days. This isn't the only waste issue in Waseca. In April, the City Council gave approval to begin shooting cormorants on Loon Lake Island because the birds' droppings were destroying trees and plants. Three years ago, more than 100 Canada geese and 25 mallards were found dead on that same lake. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources theorized the birds were killed by a fungal infection.
CBS News
22-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Half-a-dozen beaches in Minneapolis closed due to high levels of dangerous bacteria
Six beaches across Minneapolis are temporarily closed after routine testing detected high levels of E. coli bacteria in the water. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board says beaches at Lake Harriet, Bde Maka Ska, and Lake Hiawatha are among those affected. Officials believe recent rainfall and animal waste runoff are contributing to the spike in bacteria levels. "So in the United States, most swim-related illnesses are associated with disease-causing organisms that are linked to fecal contamination, aka poop," Leah Larson with Hennepin Public Health said. "One of the most common sources that we see is going to be from goose, duck and other animal runoff, especially after a big storm event." Blue-green algae blooms are also a concern in some areas, which can pose health risks to both people and pets. Minneapolis resident Sydney Reuter said she monitors water quality before deciding to swim. "I don't swim in lakes if I know that it's not safe," Reuter said. "And I do check online, there's a really good interactive map that I like to use for Minneapolis parks." Reuter added that closures are common this time of year, particularly at Lake Hiawatha. "Every year, pretty early on for this lake, at least Hiawatha, it gets hot, we get enough rain, and it just shuts down for either bacteria or algae," she said. Health officials advise swimmers to avoid murky water, rinse off before and after swimming, and wait at least 24 hours after heavy rain before entering a lake. Beaches will reopen once bacteria levels return to safe levels based on state health guidelines.
