Suffolk suspends beach camping, outer beach driving as nor’easter bears down on Long Island

Tent camping and campfires will also be halted as the storm brings heavy rain and strong winds

Suffolk County is pulling campers off the beach and drivers off the sand as the season’s first nor’easter closes in on Long Island.

County Executive Ed Romaine announced Thursday that beachfront camping and outer beach driving across the Suffolk County Parks system will be suspended starting Thursday evening. The suspension runs until Sunday, when officials will reevaluate conditions.

Tent camping and campfires will be suspended starting Friday evening and remain off-limits until Sunday evening. Additionally, due to the high tides, the outer beach at Smith Point has been closed until further notice, the county reported.

Hard-sided campers and RVs will be allowed on a site-by-site basis. County officials urged campers to take every possible precaution and plan for heavy rain and strong, sustained winds.

The National Weather Service expects winds to keep building across Friday and Saturday, with gusts of 35 to 50 mph possible, before storm conditions ease up on Sunday. Rain, rough surf and minor coastal flooding around high tide are also expected through the weekend.

Anyone with questions can call Suffolk County Parks at 631.854.4949 or email [email protected]. Romaine said the parks department will post updates on it social media pages.

_{Top: Entrance at Cordwood Landing County Park in Miller Place (Brian Harmon/GLI)}