Thunderstorms, Rough Surf Ahead Today For Monmouth County Beaches

MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ - If you were thinking of going to the beach today, you'd better wait until Saturday.

The National Weather Service is calling for cloudy skies, with thunderstorms and lightning likely. Skies will become partly sunny at 5 p.m. Highs at the beach today will be in the lower 80s. The lightning threat is high. Winds will be from the southwest at 10 to 15 miles per hour.

The rip current risk for Monmouth beaches is low today. But rips can occur anytime, especially near jetties and other structures. So check with your local beach patrol first. Never swim on an unguarded beach and never swim alone or at night. There's already been several deaths on Jersey Shore beaches this summer, including one at lsland Beach State Park on Thursday. Don't be a statistic.

Waves today will be around 4 feet, with southeasterly swells of 2 to 3 feet. The ocean water temperature is 76 degrees.

The ultraviolet index is a 4, which the National Weather Service considers moderate. Not much chance of working on your tan today.But if you wait until Saturday, the forecast is for sunny skies with a high of 76 degrees.

Low tide at Belmar arrived at 7:26 a.m. High tide will roll in at 1:51 p.m., followed by another low tide at 8:17 p.m.

Photo: Courtesy of Surf City Beach Patrol