Hurricane Ernesto, which made landfall on Bermuda early Saturday, caused dangerous rip currents and high surf along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. The storm’s impact was felt from Florida up to New York, with coastal damage reported, including the collapse of an unoccupied beach house in North Carolina. The National Hurricane Center warned of significant rip current threats along the coast, leading to the closure of beaches in New York City and other popular coastal areas.
In response to the rip current threat, officials in New York City closed ocean-facing beaches for swimming and wading over the weekend. Lifeguards were stationed at the beaches to warn people to stay out of the water. The National Weather Service issued warnings about rip currents at beaches in Delaware, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, urging swimmers to exercise extreme caution. Mayor Eric Adams advised New Yorkers not to risk their lives by swimming while beaches were closed.
The collapse of a beach house in Rodanthe, North Carolina, highlighted the vulnerability of the barrier islands to storm surges and rising sea levels. This was the seventh house collapse in the past four years along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a 70-mile stretch managed by the federal government. Visitors were urged to avoid the Rodanthe beaches due to dangerous debris in the water, and a portion of the national seashore was closed to the public. The National Park Service anticipated significant debris removal efforts after the elevated sea conditions subsided.
The National Weather Service issued coastal flooding and high surf advisories for the Outer Banks through early Monday, with warnings of possible rip currents and large waves reaching as far north as Virginia and Maryland beaches and as far south as Georgia and Florida. In Bermuda, tens of thousands of utility customers lost power as the Category 1 storm brought heavy rains and the threat of dangerous flash flooding. As the storm continued to affect the East Coast, authorities urged residents and visitors to exercise caution and stay out of the water to avoid the risks associated with the powerful rip currents and high surf.
