Cooler Temperatures, Cloudy Skies Ahead For Ocean County Beaches

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ - The National Weather Service is calling for mostly cloudy skies today with much cooler temperatures than over the past few days.

Highs today at the beach will only be in the lower 70s. Winds will be from the southeast at 5 to 10 miles per hour.

Seas will be fairly calm. There's a low risk of rip currents. But rips can still occur near jetties and other structures. Most beaches are still unguarded on weekdays, but that should change later this month. Never swim on an unguarded beach and never swim alone or at night.

Waves will be around 2 feet, with southeasterly swells of 2 feet. The ocean water temperature has warmed up to 68 degrees, still chilly, but not unbearable. There is no lightning threat today.

The ultraviolet index is a 9, which the NWS considers very high. So bring the sunscreen if you want to work on your tan.

Low tide at Barnegat Inlet arrived at 8:31 a.m. High tide will roll in at 2:31 p.m., followed by another low tide at 8:51 p.m.

Photo: Patricia A. Miller