Rip Tides from Hurricane Erin Means No Ocean Swimming at City Beaches Aug. 20-21
Lifeguards and park personnel will be patrolling the shoreline both days to make sure nobody goes in the ocean. The sandy beach is open, but swimming is banned. Accuweather meteorologists warn there could be flash flooding in low lying regions through Thursday.
| 20 Aug 2025 | 11:47
The dashed red line represents AccuWeather meteorologists’ forecast path for the eye of the hurricane. The gray shaded areas on either side of the forecast path represent alternative paths the hurricane could take based on changing steering conditions. Tropical storm and hurricane conditions will extend well beyond the track of the eye. (
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Lifeguards such as this one on Coney Island will not be manning the lifeguard stands on Wednesday Aug. 20 and Thursday Aug. 21 but will be patrolling the shores to make sure nobody goes in the water in any city ocean beaches due to dangerous rip tides created by Hurricane Erin. (
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa said that swimming will be prohibited at all city beaches on Wednesday, August 20 and Thursday, August 21 due to the hazardous conditions expected from Hurricane Erin.
The sand will remain open for visitors, but swimming will be prohibited at all 14 miles of city beaches. The National Weather Service predicts a dangerous rip current threat with waves expected up to 15 feet, affecting beaches along the East Coast.
And the National Weather Service was saying that the storm surge even without Eric hitting landfall is likely to peak late Thursday with high tides. High seas will persist into Friday.
Erin, the first hurricane of the season is expected to remain off shore but will generate wind and surging surf and some spinoff rain. AccuWeather meteorologists said that tropical air pushed northward by Hurricane Erin is running into a stalled weather pattern which will actually deliver most of the rain expected in the northeast over the next few days rather than the actual hurricane. But in a worst case scenario, one to two inches of rain could fall in a short period of time triggering flash flooding in low lying areas in the city.
In the outer banks of North Carolina, 75 people had to be rescued from the water, but there have been no injuries or fatalities so far due to Erin.
“We are working with all of our city agencies to prepare for Hurricane Erin and keep New Yorkers safe,” Adams said on Aug. 19. “This storm is expected to create dangerous rip currents and large waves, and so we are closing all city beaches to swimming on Wednesday and Thursday. We are asking New Yorkers to take precautions and please sign up for Notify NYC for additional updates.”
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is our top priority. In consultation with our sister agencies and based on conditions projected by the National Weather Service, NYC Parks is prohibiting access to the water at all beaches on August 20 and 21,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa. “We strongly urge all New Yorkers to heed these warnings and not risk their lives by entering the water.”
Lifeguards and Parks Enforcement Patrol will be posted along the coastline to enforce the prohibition. New Yorkers are advised to adhere to all instructions for their own safety, and to sign up for Notify NYC for updates on beach closures.