Aug 22, 2009 3:22 pm US/Eastern
Rip Currents Strong As Hurricane Bill Moves North
OCEAN CITY, N.J. (CBS3/AP) ―
Swimmers might spend most of the weekend sitting on New Jersey and Delaware beaches instead of in the water.
The National Weather Service says Hurricane Bill poses a high risk both Saturday and Sunday. By Saturday night, Hurricane Bill is expected to be approximately 300 miles from shore. A high risk advisory is in effect both Saturday and Sunday down the shore.
Forecasters say the storm will produce large ocean swells as it moves north far off the coast. Those swells will increase throughout the weekend and the high rip current risk will continue into Sunday.
Rip currents form when water draining away from the shore funnels through breaks in the sand bar, creating narrow, fast moving streams of water that can pull swimmers out to sea.
Experts say that if you become caught in a rip current, you should remain calm and swim parallel to the shore. When you feel the current stop pulling you, you should swim at an angle away from the current towards the beach.
Swimmers are urged to check with lifeguards before entering the ocean.
Beach officials in Ocean City are expected to meet Saturday morning at the ocean to determine if any restrictions need to be put into place.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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