Listing of New Jersey shore seashores closed as Hurricane Erin tracks close to

Many Jersey Shore seashores have been closed to swimmers on Tuesday, Aug. 19, with Hurricane Erin carrying life-threatening rip currents because the storm’s path tracks close to the East Coast.

Mandatory evacuations continued Monday alongside components of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the place a state of emergency was in impact because the Category 3 storm barreled by the Atlantic a number of hundred miles from the Carolina shoreline, in keeping with the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Erin was sustaining most winds of 110 mph, with larger gusts reported, because the storm’s path continued northwest, with forecasters on the NHC predicting Erin will flip away from the East Coast. Still, vacationers at seashores throughout the East Coast have been pressured to forgo the ultimate days of summer time sand as excessive waves and rip currents whip up the surf. Last week on the Jersey Shore, a 13-year-old girl died at Belmar seaside and a 31-year-old Trenton man drowned as lifeguards pulled seven from the seaside in Seaside Heights.

Here’s the most recent on seaside closures in New Jersey.

Jersey Shore seashores closed (updates as of 4 p.m. August 19)

Jersey shore seashores that closed as a result of Hurricane Erin introduced Monday, Aug. 18, embody Wildwood, Margate, and Bay Head. On Tuesday, officers in  Cape May, Ocean City, and Longport ordered beachgoers to remain out of the water altogether. The ocean was largely off limits in seaside cities that included Atlantic City and Ventnor.

“Conditions are deadly,” Ocean City’s Beach Patrol stated in a Facebook publish on Aug. 19. “Do not enter the ocean until further notice.”

At Island Beach State Park, swimming, browsing, boogie boarding, cell sport fishing automobile allow entry, and nature middle packages have been suspended by no less than Thursday, Aug. 21, the state park posted on Facebook. Visitors have been nonetheless allowed to stroll on the seaside for fishing and different actions.

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A Facebook publish from Atlantic City officials, in the meantime, informed beachgoers that they’re restricted to “knee-deep bathing only, no boogie boards.”

The restrictions “will likely remain in place throughout the week,” Atlantic City Beach Patrol Chief Steve Downey stated Aug. 18.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy urged visitors and residents to keep away from wading or swimming within the ocean, citing the damaging rip currents and excessive waves.

“As Hurricane Erin continues to move through the Atlantic, we are anticipating dangerous surf and rip currents and possible coastal flooding,” Murphy stated.

The storm is predicted to overlook New Jersey “by a significant amount,” Murphy stated at a press convention.

“But we are hyper, hyper concerned about complacency…in terms of people thinking about going in the water,” stated Murphy, noting an ongoing risk from rip currents.

He additionally expressed a priority over flooding on the coast and alongside the Delaware River and different tidal streams, notably on the night time of Thursday, Aug. 21.

Wildwood’s assertion famous the warnings in impact for rip currents, excessive surf and hurricane/storm circumstances.

“These conditions make ocean entry extremely dangerous,” officers stated.

Erin is predicted to supply life-threatening surf and rip currents alongside a lot of the East Coast over the subsequent a number of days, in keeping with the National Weather Service, aka NWS.

Tropical storm circumstances and coastal flooding have been attainable in North Carolina’s Outer Banks late Tuesday, Aug. 19, the NWS acknowledged.

The storm is predicted to make its closest go to South Jersey on Thursday, Aug. 21, “bringing dangerous rip currents and high surf,” the climate company stated. A small craft advisory is predicted to be in place by Friday, Aug. 22 “as seas associated with Hurricane Erin gradually build, peaking up to 15 feet on Thursday.”

Seas of 5 to eight toes are anticipated by a lot of the night time on Wednesday, Aug. 19, “with 10 to 15 (feet) seas anticipated Thursday morning through early Friday morning,” it stated. The churning surf ought to “gradually” wane into the weekend.

The restrictions are wanted to guard the general public, “including those who may be called to perform a rescue,” the NWS assertion stated. People are requested to “please stay on the sand until the storm passes later this week.”

“No lifeguards, no swimming. It’s that simple,” stated Steve Mikulski, Wildwood’s commissioner for public security.

Advisories are to be up to date on Facebook pages for Wildwood and the Wildwood Beach Patrol, in addition to on the town’s X account.

(This story was up to date to mirror the most recent info.)

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team. Jim Walsh of courierpostonline.com contributed to this story.