Beach Advisories for NJ — Heavy rains lead to toxic runoff

🏖 More than a dozen New Jersey beaches are under water quality advisories

🏖 Heavy rain carries toxins into the ocean

🏖 It's generally been a light year for beach closures in New Jersey

UPDATE: Latest test results for 16 New Jersey beaches after earlier monitoring revealed high levels of fecal bacteria have resulted in just one beach closure.

The bay beach in Seaside Heights will be closed Thursday.

Runoff from Monday's heavy rains likely washed animal waste and other toxins into the water.

For now, the beach remains open, but you are advised not to swim in the water. Making contact with the polluted water can cause severe gastrointestinal distress as well as flu-like symptoms.

The affected beaches are as follows:

🏖 Atlantic City

Beach (Ocean): Michigan

Beach (Ocean): Arkansas

Beach (Ocean): Connecticut Ave

Beach (Ocean): Kentucky

Beach (Ocean): South Carolina

Beach (Ocean): Rev Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd

Beach (Ocean): New York Ave

Monmouth County (Google Maps)

🏖 Deal Borough

Beach (Ocean): Roosevelt Ave

🏖 Highlands Borough

Beach (Bay): Highlands Rec Center

Beach (Bay): Miller Beach

🏖 Long Branch City

Beach (Ocean): Elberon Beach Club

Beach (Ocean): Ocean Beach Club

🏖 Neptune Township

Beach (Ocean): Broadway

🏖 Sea Girt Borough

Beach (Ocean): New York Blvd

🏖 Point Pleasant Borough

Beach (River): River

🏖 Seaside Heights Borough

Beach (Bay): Hancock

Additional water quality testing is being done. If bacteria levels remain high, it could force the closure of the beach until bacteria levels return to acceptable levels.

New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow says more heavy rain is in the forecast for Thursday, which could cause additional runoff and introduce more pollution into the ocean waters.

Beach advisories are common in New Jersey given the stringent water quality standards set by the Department of Environmental Protection and the frequency of water testing.

New Jersey has had a relatively mild year for pollution with few closures, so far, in 2023 impacting weekend shore goers.