Virginia Beachgoers Warned of Rip Current Risk from Cristobal

Dangerous rip currents will continue to be an issue through Tuesday for the Mid-Atlantic region as Tropical Storm Cristobal moves north up the East Coast, says the National Weather Service.

The storm, which had sustained winds of 60 mph as of 8 a.m. Monday, is expected to reach hurricane status by Wednesday as it continues to strengthen, according to the Weather Channel. Forecasters believe the storm will remain off the Mid-Atlantic shore, so waves and rip currents will be the biggest source of trouble.

“Even through Cristobal will stay east of the Atlantic coast of the U.S., a strong tropical storm or hurricane will generate swells that propagate outward and will reach the shoreline in the form of rough surf and strong rip currents during the last week of August,” warned AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

High surf could also be a risk for swimmers, as waves reach three to five feet on Monday, and possibly higher as the storm moves north, says The Washington Post.

Small craft advisories have been issued for the coastal waters from Florida to New Jersey. In the water off the Mid-Atlantic shore, waves will reach three to five feet, with northeast winds of 15 to 20 knots, gusting to 25 knots, the Post says.

Cristobal will pass near the Bahamas on Tuesday. The projected path of the storm has it off the Jersey Shore by Thursday, according to NOAA.

» A red flag flew over the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, DE, on Aug. 24, when swimming was prohibited due to rough conditions. Rip currents will be a danger this week as Tropical Storm Cristobal moves along the East Coast. Credit: Patch photo by Elizabeth Janney