New York City's beaches have reopened following the impact of Hurricane Erin, which affected the Atlantic-facing shores. As the weekend arrives with sunny skies and warm temperatures, a high rip current risk remains in effect, according to ABC7 New York.
Lifeguards are on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and officials continue to advise the public to avoid swimming outside of these hours. Following a three-day closure due to Hurricane Erin's impact along the coast, beaches in New York City have reopened. However, Suffolk County beaches on Long Island remain closed through at least Saturday morning as officials monitor red-flag warnings.
At New York’s state parks, including Jones Beach and Robert Moses State Park, wading and limited swimming are once again permitted. Governor Kathy Hochul announced that while these parks have reopened with caution, officials will continue to closely monitor surf conditions and rip currents throughout the weekend to ensure public safety, ABC7 New York reported.
Activity has resumed in North Carolina as well, with Highway 12 in the Outer Banks reopened, as detailed by NBC New York. The local Department of Transportation allowed residents, property owners, and workers to return to Hatteras Island at noon last Saturday, with all restrictions lifted by 5 a.m. yesterday. Despite Hurricane Erin’s impact, the Outer Banks’ sandy dunes remained largely intact, with no significant infrastructure damage or geological disruption reported.
New Jersey is still in the process of determining when it will be safe to reopen its beaches. Residents continue to await official guidance on when they can return to the water. Governor Phil Murphy previously declared a state of emergency during the height of Hurricane Erin, citing “life-threatening rip currents” at all ocean beaches—conditions that may persist for several days. In Sea Bright, a few individuals entered the closed beaches despite posted warnings. Meanwhile, towns along the Jersey Shore, including Avalon and Margate, are assessing the impact of last Thursday night’s high tide, which caused flooding that turned main streets into temporary waterways, says ABC7 New York.
