Offshore Hurricane Could Cause Increased Surf, Riptides This Week

The full effect of Hurricane Bertha won’t be felt in New England, but swimmers are warned about the danger of riptides later this week.

The storm, which is now category 1 with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour, “will remain well offshore” Massachusetts, according to Kristina Pydynowski, a senior meteorologist with Accuweather in a post on Monday afternoon.

The impact will be felt, though, in the form of rough seas.

Bertha’s impact will peak on Wednesday, with increased surf and the threat of rip currents, according to Accuweather.

If you are caught in a rip current, to get out you should swim parallel to the coast and not fight the current.

The storm will get closest to Massachusetts on Wednesday morning, but its track has it heading northeastward into the Atlantic Ocean and far off the coast. The forecast on Wednesday calls for a cloudy day with temperatures in the 70s and a chance of showers and thunderstorms that are not associated with Bertha.