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Grab your sunscreen and sandals, then go ahead and put them right back in the closet.
Hurricane Erin is on the move up the East Coast, and Mayor Eric Adams has ordered all New York City beaches closed to swimmers this Wednesday, August 20 and Thursday, August 21. The sand will stay open for lounging, but anyone attempting a dip in the Atlantic is in for a rude awakening—and not just from the lifeguards. The National Weather Service is calling for rip currents so powerful they could knock Olympic athletes sideways, paired with waves up to 13 feet tall. That’s less summer fun, more terrifying water park.
Erin, now a Category 5 storm, isn’t barreling straight into New York, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe to splash around. Forecasts show her curving northeast between Bermuda and the East Coast, which is more than enough to whip up dangerous surf, churn the shoreline and send beach patrols into overdrive. Governor Kathy Hochul has slapped similar bans at state beaches like Jones Beach and Robert Moses, noting that hurricane season is officially flexing its muscles. “We’re taking proactive steps to protect New Yorkers,” she said, which is political-speak for “stay out of the water, people.”
If you’d been plotting a midweek surf session in the Rockaways or a casual float at Brighton Beach, cancel your plans. No swimming, no wading, not even an ankle-deep paddle. Lifeguards and Parks Enforcement Patrol will be on site to keep thrill-seekers in check and anyone thinking they can outsmart Mother Nature is strongly advised to reconsider. You can still spread a blanket, dig a sandcastle or nap on the shore, but if your beach read gets wet, it better be from spilled iced coffee, not seawater.
The ban lifts once conditions ease, likely by the weekend, when the Atlantic decides to stop impersonating a washing machine. Until then, think of it as an enforced citywide staycation: Swap your surfboard for a subway ride, your suntan for a rooftop spritz, and let Erin throw her tantrum at sea. It’s only two days and frankly, it’s better than becoming a cautionary tale.