Beachgoers are being warned to stay off the sand and out of the water as Hurricane Erin churns toward New York, where it is expected to cause dangerous rip currents.
The city’s Emergency Management Department on Monday urged beachgoers to avoid the water at red-zoned areas where life guards aren’t present — with life-threatening rip currents likely Tuesday and through the entire week.
Red zone areas expected to be impacted are beaches in Brooklyn, Nassau County, and both southwestern and southeastern Suffolk County, according to the National Weather Service.
“The same swells are generating dangerous rip currents that can sweep swimmers away from shore. These currents are life-threatening, even for strong swimmers. Only swim where lifeguards are present,” the Emergency Management Department said on X.
Erin ramped up to a Category 4 storm on Monday as it blew past Puerto Rico, promising to bring deadly riptides and powerful waves to the entire East Coast through the week, officials warn.
Meghan Lalor, a Parks Department spokeswoman, told the Daily News that “we have not made the call to close any beaches at this point,” noting: “We will continue to monitor conditions.”
The National Hurricane Center predicted a high probability of dangerous rip currents and surf as far north as New York City and Long Island by Tuesday.
While Erin was expected to turn east “well before it gets anywhere near us,” it would churn up surf along New York’s coastlines, including Long Island, making for “pretty dangerous conditions,” National Weather Service meteorologist Dave Radell told the Daily News.
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