What to Know
- Swimming resumes at Long Island state beaches, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday morning.
- State Park lifeguards and staff assessed conditions Friday morning and determined conditions were safe for swimming.
- This latest development comes mere days after Hochul ordered State Parks to suspend swimming at Long Island's ocean beaches due to flooding and strong surf conditions resulting from Hurricane Franklin on Wednesday.
Swimming has resumed at Long Island state beaches, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday morning -- this after certain beaches were closed to bathers due to rough conditions resulting from Hurricane Franklin.
Hochul made the announcement just ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend.
“With the peak hurricane season upon us, keeping New Yorkers prepared and out of harms way is a top priority,” Hochul said in a statement. “I am pleased the flooding and rough surf on our Long Island coast has diminished, and New Yorkers can enjoy a wonderful Labor Day weekend at the beach.”
State Park lifeguards and staff assessed conditions Friday morning and determined conditions were safe for swimming.
Swimming resumed at 9 a.m. at Robert Moses and Jones Beach State Parks , as well as at 10 a.m. at Hither Hills State Park. These three beaches saw significant water levels, rough surf and rip currents, with extensive flooding at the Jones Beach beachfront and unpassable areas at Robert Moses and Hither Hills over the past couple of days.
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This latest development comes mere days after Hochul ordered State Parks to suspend swimming at Long Island's ocean beaches due to flooding and strong surf conditions resulting from Hurricane Franklin on Wednesday.
"As peak hurricane season approaches, the safety of all New Yorkers remains my top priority," Hochul said Wednesday. "As tropical storms and hurricanes affect our beaches on Long Island, we are taking proactive steps to protect New Yorkers and I urge everyone to remain vigilant."
Videos from Jones Beach Theater showed concertgoers Wednesday night standing in about a foot or so of floodwaters as they watched Smashing Pumpkins and Interpol perform. The high water levels were a result of the super blue moon that captivated stargazers around the world.
"Even far away, hurricanes and tropical storms are powerful events that cause dangerous and unpredictable conditions on our swimming beaches," New York State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid initially said.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will continue monitoring conditions across state parks.
