Jones Beach is largely flooded as waves from Hurricane Erin pummel Long Island.
Waves up to 11 feet high — exacerbated by the storm surge and high tide — have put most of the popular South Shore spot underwater, with some areas flooded up to the boardwalk. The shoreline is unrecognizable as large pools of seawater take over popular sunning spots.
Jones Beach is among the many closed as the massive Category 2 storm brings dangerous surf and winds to the East Coast.
“With Hurricane Erin causing dangerous surf conditions along our beaches on Long Island, we are taking proactive steps to protect New Yorkers by restricting swimming at state beaches,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement directing state parks to suspend swimming on Long Island beaches. “I urge everyone to remain vigilant as the storm approaches.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine held a news conference on Thursday morning to announce a joint effort to increase storm preparedness as Long Island faces an above-normal hurricane season.
Despite the eye of the storm being 350 miles southeast of Long Island as of Thursday afternoon, the outer edges of the storm are grazing the South Shore. Hurricane Erin is roughly the size of Texas, making the storm one of the largest we’ve seen this century.
As the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2025 season escalated into a Category 5 storm over the weekend, dangerous surf and rip currents were predicted across Long Island this week, with the most hazardous conditions on the South Shore expected in the vicinity of Moriches and due east later this week, according to the National Weather Service.
Hurricane Erin is now a Category 2 storm with 100mph sustained winds, and is expected to become a tropical storm by the weekend.
