Hurricane Cristobal Bringing High Surf, Dangerous Rip Currents to LI Beaches

As Hurricane Cristobal moves north off the East Coast, the storm is tracking well east of Long Island, but its effects will be felt at local beaches over the next couple of days.

A high surf advisory is in effect until 10 p.m. Thursday for all Atlantic-facing beaches from New York City to Montauk, according to the National Weather Service.

Waves will be 4 to 6 feet Wednesday afternoon and then build to 6 to 8 feet Wednesday evening into Thursday. Dangerous rip currents can also be expected through Thursday.

Minor beach erosion and some wash-over is possible, especially around high tide Thursday morning, the NWS said.

An 18-year-old man drowned off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland, Tuesday night after becoming stuck in a rip current caused by Cristobal, according to a Baltimore Sun report.

Experts advise against swimming near jetties or piers where there are fixed rip currents, and recommend only strong swimmers swim in a large body of water that is subject to changing wind, waves and currents.

If you find yourself caught in a rip current, the United States Lifesaving Association says to follow a number of steps to escape:

• Yell for help immediately.
• Don’t swim against the rip current – it will just tire you out.
• Escape the rip current by swimming parallel to the beach until you are free.
• If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water.
• When out of the current, swim toward the shore at an angle away from the rip current.