Cloudy Skies, Moderate Rip Current Risk At Ocean County Beaches

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ - Skies will start out mostly sunny at Ocean County beaches today, but will quickly turn cloudy with a chance of showers, the National Weather Service says.

The clouds are expected to move in around 11 a.m. Highs today will only be in the mid 70s. Winds will be from south at 10 to 15 miles per hour. There is no lightning threat.

There's a moderate risk of rip currents today. That means you should check with your local beach patrol before heading into the water. Always swim on a guarded beach and never swim alone or at night. Now that school is out, most beaches are guarded on weekdays as well as weekends.

Waves today will be from 2 to 3 feet, with southeasterly swells of 2 to 3 feet. The ocean water temperature has warmed up to 70 degrees, the warmest so far this season.

Despite the clouds, the ultraviolet index is a 9, which the National Weather Service considers very high.

High tide at Barnegat Inlet arrived at 7:58 a.m. Low tide will roll in at 2:05 p.m., followed by another high tide at 8:14 p.m.

Have a great day and be careful out there!

Photo: Courtesy of Beach Haven Beach Patrol