South Shore beaches closed as Hurricane Erin whips up dangerous surf

You can put the beach umbrellas away for the next couple of days.

Beaches across the South Shore of Long Island have been closed to swimming as Hurricane Erin churns off the Atlantic coast, bringing hazardous surf, rip currents and powerful swells to area shores.

Local beach closures include Jones Beach, Robert Moses and Smith Point.

The Suffolk County Parks Department announced the closure of Smith Point County Park and Cupsogue Beach County Park due to high-surf conditions. The notice, posted on the department’s Facebook page, states the closures will remain in place through Friday, with ongoing evaluations of coastal conditions determining when it will be safe to reopen.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Parks Department said the high-surf conditions had forced the closure of the campgrounds and outer beaches at Montauk and Shinnecock East.

Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered swim restrictions at three notable state-run ocean beaches: Jones Beach State Park, Robert Moses State Park and Hither Hills State Park. The governor’s swimming bans are effective through Thursday, as park staff place sandbags, build protective sand walls and remove non-essential equipment to safeguard visitors and facilities.

As of Wednesday afternoon Erin was deemed a category 2 hurricane, with winds up to 110 mph. It was about 400 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, moving north-northwest at 10 mph. Beach erosion is anticipated from Florida to New York, with the adverse conditions lasting through Friday.

_{Top photo: South Edison Beach in Montauk is among the many closed Wednesday and Thursday along Long Island’s South Shore (Brian Harmon photo).}