Beach closures may damper New Yorkers plans before Labor Day weekend

Dangerous rip currents caused in part by Hurricane Franklin forced the closing of New York state beaches Thursday and could become a factor in New Yorkers’ Labor Day weekend plans.

“As peak hurricane season approaches, the safety of all New Yorkers remains my top priority,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in statement. “With tropical storms and hurricanes affecting our beaches on Long Island, we are taking proactive steps to protect New Yorkers, and I urge everyone to remain vigilant.”

Restrictions will indefinitely impact Robert Moses, Hither Hills and Jones Beach state parks, whose ocean beaches experienced significant water levels Thursday. Jones Beach was flooding, while areas near Robert Moses and Hither Hills were reportedly unpassable. Lifeguards on duty at those beaches were instructed to stop beachgoers from entering the water. The governor’s office said the surf could reach 8 feet at ocean-facing beaches.

Swimming was permitted at Sunken Meadow and Wildwood State Parks on Long Island Sound.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recommends beachgoers review their local beach forecast online when making plans.

Staten Island braced for rough conditions along its shores late Thursday evening, according to the Staten Island Advance. The borough was similarly warned of coastal flooding Wednesday.

Hurricane Franklin might cause “moderate” rip currents along the Jersey Shore leading up to the weekend, New Jersey’s Courier Post said, but a widespread ripple effect isn’t expected.

“If you drop a pebble or a stone in a pond, and the water ripples out — that’s basically what we have happening,” meteorologist Ray Martin NOAA’s Westhampton, N.Y. office told the Courier Post.

Swimming hasn’t been banned in New Jersey, though strong swells have been known to carry swimmers out to sea. A New York City firefighter died in June while saving his daughter from a Jersey Shore rip current.

Hurricane Franklin recorded maximum sustained winds of 100 mph Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is expected to absorb the weaker storm Hurricane Jose on Friday as both weather events drift away from the East Coast. Hurricane Jose formed Thursday morning nearly 800 miles east of Bermuda with sustained winds of 40 mph.

The Atlantic hurricane season began in June, though September and October typically see a higher threat of storms impacting New Yorkers. NOAA forecasts “above normal” storm activity this fall.

New York State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid urged New Yorkers to pay attention to warnings and follow the direction of lifeguards and park officials.

“Even if they are far away, hurricanes and tropical storms are powerful events that cause dangerous and unpredictable conditions at our swimming beaches,” he said.

Wednesday’s blue supermoon is also affecting Atlantic Ocean tides in the Southeast, where Hurricane Idalia dumped rain and water throughout the week. That storm is expected to miss New York and spend Labor Day weekend drifting over the Atlantic Ocean.