Hurricane Ernesto is expected to come close enough to the Bay State to spark some rough surf and “dangerous” rip currents at beaches this weekend.
Even though Ernesto is forecast to remain well offshore the East Coast, swells generated by the storm will likely reach south-facing beaches on Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod.
Beachgoers are being warned that they need to be aware of a risk for life-threatening surf and rip currents — and to stay out of the water if advised by lifeguards.
“We have high confidence that the storm will stay offshore, but we’re expecting some risk for high surf and rip currents at southern-facing beaches,” Bryce Williams, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office, told the Herald.
“People should be aware of their surroundings and to heed any flags that are out,” Williams added. “When there are dangerous rip currents, lifeguards will put up flags to keep people out of the water.”
Ernesto’s center continued to move away from Puerto Rico on Wednesday. The storm will then move across the western Atlantic and approach Bermuda on Friday and Saturday.
Thanks to an upper-level trough that will set up over the Northeast, the storm will stay well offshore.
“Nonetheless, the storm will come close enough to produce some high surf and dangerous rip currents at south facing beaches as early as Saturday,” the National Weather Service’s forecast discussion reads.
Meanwhile, the local hazy skies from elevated wildfire smoke will likely stick around for the next couple of days. The smoke is expected to remain aloft with little to no impact on air quality.
The smoke is from wildfires way out in the western U.S. and in northwest Canada.
“AIR QUALITY: Surface smoke from distant wildfires will likely continue to influence fine particle levels during the day and levels are forecast to average in the Moderate range,” reads the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection forecast for Thursday. “Ozone levels should average in the Good range on Thursday.”
