By Mike Busch
As Florida prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Irma, long period swells started arriving on the South Shore of Long Island this morning and should increase over the weekend. The video above was taken this morning at sunrise on the Davis Park Casino Surf Cam. Click here to check the camera live.
The National Weather Service has issued a Rip Current Statement:
…HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS INTO THIS EVENING AND LIKELY
CONTINUING INTO THIS WEEKEND…
KINGS (BROOKLYN)-SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
SOUTHERN QUEENS-SOUTHERN NASSAU-
FRI SEP 8 2017
…HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING…
* LOCATIONS…ATLANTIC OCEAN BEACHES.
* RIP CURRENT RISK…HIGH.
* SURF HEIGHT…4 TO 6 FEET.
* LIGHTNING RISK…NONE.
* TIMING…THROUGH THIS EVENING.
* OUTLOOK…SWELLS FROM IRMA WILL LIKELY MAINTAIN ROUGH SURF AND
A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS INTO THE WEEKEND.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE…WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN
SANDBARS AND NEAR STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS…JETTIES…AND
PIERS. TALK TO LIFEGUARDS AND BEACH OFFICIALS TO LEARN ABOUT ANY
SURF HAZARDS AND HEED THEIR ADVICE. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND
POSTED SIGNS AND SWIM IN LIFE GUARDED AREAS.
SWIM NEAR A LIFEGUARD. IF CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT…RELAX AND
FLOAT…AND DO NOT SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT. IF ABLE…SWIM IN A
DIRECTION FOLLOWING THE SHORELINE. IF UNABLE TO ESCAPE…FACE THE
SHORE AND CALL OR WAVE FOR HELP.
