If you are planning to hit the beach this weekend, make sure you stay safe. Hurricane Ernesto is expected to bring dangerous conditions to sections of the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine despite enjoyable summertime temperatures, according to multiple reports. Hurricane Ernesto is moving north through the Atlantic Ocean several hundred miles away from the East Coast, but treacherous rip currents and unsafe surf are expected to impact beaches in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina by Thursday before reaching North Carolina by Friday, according to the Washington Post and Fox Weather .
“Even though Ernesto is forecast to remain well offshore of the U.S. East Coast, swells generated by the storm are expected to reach the area late this week and into the weekend,” National Hurricane Center forecasters told Fox Weather .
“Beachgoers should be aware of a significant risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents, and stay out of the water if advised by lifeguards.” What is a rip current? According to the National Weather Service , rip currents, which are different from rip tides, are “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are prevalent along the East, Gulf, and West coasts of the U.S.
, as well as along the shores of the Great Lakes.” Rip currents can move at speeds of up to 8 feet per second, faster than an Olympic swimmer. If you are caught in a rip current, do not fight it.
Instead, swim parallel to the shore and angle yourself to swim towards land at an angle. Rip tides are a “specific type of current associated with the swift movement of tidal water through inlets and the mouths of estuaries, embayments, and harbors,” the NWS said . When will Ernesto impact the Northeast? New Jersey, Long Island and New England should see dangerous rip current conditions by Saturday, which will persist into early next week, the Washington Post said .
Waves reaching 6 to 8 feet are modeled to hit Georgia and the Carolinas, forecasters said. By the time Hurricane Ernesto is affecting Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey, 4- to 6-foot waves are expected. Coastlines along Long Island and the New England region should see similar conditions, with peak coastal waves of 6 to 8 feet.
Parts of Maine may see waves as high as 10 feet, according to current models. Because of the moon’s current phase, higher-than-usual tides are forecast for large portions of the Atlantic, which may enhance the dangerous conditions to a degree, the Washington Post said . Where will Ernesto hit the East Coast the hardest? With pleasant summertime temperatures predicted in many parts of the East Coast this weekend, forecasters are concerned an uptick of vacationers might flock to the coastline.
“Several beautiful beach days are coming up, but don’t be deceived!” The Weather Service office in Morehead City, North Carolina, told the Washington Post . The Florida/Georgia coastal bend, North Carolina Outer Banks and parts of Maine are expected to see the worst impacts of Ernesto in the United States, forecasters predict. Piers, jetties, sandbars and other water features are also at heightened risk during conditions similar to Hurricane Ernesto.
Forecasters recommend avoiding those structures and staying in areas monitored by lifeguards. Hurricane Ernesto is not expected to make landfall in the United States but might reach parts of Canada, the Washington Post Said. Forecasters expect Ernesto’s impact to last until late Monday.
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