While Hurricane Ernesto is set to pass well offshore from the New York City metro area this weekend, the tropical system will very much be felt in the area, especially along the coast.
Expect dangerous rip currents and large waves -- up to 9 feet on parts of Long Island -- through the weekend. (Here's why rip currents are so threatening, and what to do if you find yourself in one.) High wind gusts close to 30 mph are possible in some areas along the Jersey Shore.
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Ernesto’s swells, an onshore wind and a nearly full moon will combine to produce higher-than-normal tides, beach erosion and increased coastal flooding in all the usual low-lying areas.
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As of the National Hurricane Center's latest update, Ernesto had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph and was about 215 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, which it is expected to pass over Saturday as a large hurricane. A widespread 6 to 12 inches of rain is expected, with up to 15 inches possible in isolated spots.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands in Puerto Rico are still without power.
10-day NYC forecast outlook
Outside of Ernesto’s impacts, the beach weather in general will decline as the weekend goes on. Friday will be gorgeous, Saturday ushers in more clouds and higher humidity, and Sunday brings back the rain and even the possibility of an isolated severe storm.
Our area should dry by Wednesday, leading to a beautiful stretch of weather for the back half of next week.
The humidity ebbs by the middle of next week, too.
Track any approaching rain using our interactive radar below.
