A Gloomy Day Ahead For Ocean County Beaches

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - Today is not going to be an ideal beach day.

Skies will be cloudy, with a chance of showers. The highs will only be in the upper 60s. And your chances of getting a decent tan are just about nil. The ultraviolet index is only a 1, which the National Weather Service considers low.

The rip current risk today is moderate. If you can find a guarded beach, check with the local beach patrol first. Never swim on an unguarded beach and never swim alone or at night. The NWS says you should always have a flotation device with you when you go in the water.

Waves will be around 2 feet, building to around 3 feet in the afternoon, with easterly swells of 2 feet. The ocean water temperature is a nippy 63 degrees.

Winds will be from the east at 5 to 10 miles per hour, kicking up to 15 miles per hour in the afternoon.

High tide at Barnegat Inlet arrived at 5:14 a.m. Low tide will roll in at 11:28 a.m., followed by another high tide at 5:44 p.m.

Photo: Patricia A. Miller