Swimming is being prohibited at all Brooklyn and Queens beaches in New York City this weekend as Hurricane Ernesto disturbs the waters from over the Atlantic Ocean and beachgoers throughout the region are being advised to beware of life-threatening rip currents.
City officials announced late on Friday that no swimming or wading would be allowed through Sunday at those beaches, including Jacob Riis Beach, which is managed by the National Park Service. In addition to rip currents, officials cited potential ocean swells of up to 6 feet and wind gusts of up to 12 mph.
“New Yorkers should know the ocean is more powerful than you are, particularly this weekend,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “Do not risk your life, or the lives of first responders, by swimming while our beaches are closed.”
Lifeguards will still be on duty and patrolling the city’s beaches, the parks department said in a release. Parks enforcement staff will also be posted along the coastline to enforce the swimming ban.
The National Weather Service is warning people across the metro area to generally stay out of the surf, because rip currents can sweep even strong swimmers away from beaches.
While Hurricane Ernesto will pass far offshore, Rian Murphy with NWS said the expected rip currents should be taken seriously. Several people have drowned at New York City beaches this season, at a level not seen since 2019.
“You can get sucked out into the rip current and not be able to get back out of it,” Murphy said. “And if there are no lifeguards present, it’ll be a bigger issue.”
If someone is caught in a rip current, experts say they should not fight it and should instead try to float or get out of it by moving parallel to the shore.
It’s forecast to rain heavily starting on Sunday afternoon, and thunderstorms and flash flooding are possible, according to NWS.