As Hurricane Erin whips through, Governor Kathy Hochul has made the call to temporarily ban swimming at several Long Island ocean beaches. State Parks officials are following suit, with swimming restrictions in effect at Jones Beach, Robert Moses, and Hither Hills State Parks until conditions are deemed safe enough to reassess, which will be no earlier than Thursday. According to a statement from the Governor's Office news release, these actions are a bid to maintain public safety amid flooding and potentially lethal rip tides brought on by the storm.
"The peak hurricane season is approaching, and we have strong preparations in place to keep people safe," Hochul was quoted as saying in the Governor's Office news release. Her administration is taking proactive measures to ensure that everyone remains out of harm's way as conditions worsen. The directive aims to preempt the notoriously unpredictable nature of hurricane-induced surf, and state park staff, along with lifeguards, are tasked to strictly enforce the prohibition.
In response to the unpredictable sea conditions, New York State interim Parks Commissioner Randy Simons added, "Even if the local weather is sunny and warm, hurricanes and tropical storms can cause dangerous and unpredictable conditions at our swimming beaches." Simons emphasized the importance of park visitors heeding the warnings of lifeguards and park staff, particularly in identifying hidden dangers such as rip tides. This precautionary stance comes alongside efforts to secure park infrastructure against the fierce weather, with details provided in Governor's Office news release highlighting temporary sand walls and stockpiled sandbags protecting key facilities.
Swimming is not entirely off-limits in the state, however. Water lovers can still take a dip at Sunken Meadow and Wildwood State Parks, both on Long Island Sound, which are not currently experiencing the wrath of Hurricane Erin. For those looking to closely keep up to always quickly change their plans, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation encourages frequent visits to their website, usage of their NY State Parks Explorer mobile app, or straightforward calls to local park offices for the latest weather-related updates.
