Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Year : 2, Issue: 33
Beaches in Queens and Brooklyn will be closed yet again Tuesday because of dangerous rip currents.
The fourth day of closures was brought on by the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto, which has long passed the region but is still churning up the Atlantic ocean.
Lifeguards will be on duty, according to the parks department, but visitors will not be allowed to swim or even wade in the water.
The National Weather Service warned of a high rip current risk for city beaches through Tuesday evening – meaning that just entering the water in a shallow place can be dangerous because of the ocean’s strong pull.
Rip currents form as waves disperse along the beach, causing water to become trapped between the beach and a sandbar or another underwater element. The water flows into a narrow, river-like channel that moves away from the shore at high speed, which can have enough force to sweep swimmers away, according to the NWS.
The rip current risk is expected to diminish overnight and into Wednesday.
Source: Spectrum NY1
