BELMAR, N.J. – Labor Day is over, school buses are back on the road and the summer crowds have started heading home. At the Jersey Shore, that means another season is just getting started: locals’ summer.
Wednesday may be a nearly perfect example. Beaches from Monmouth County south toward Cape May are looking at mostly or partly sunny skies, temperatures around the lower 80s, small surf and no thunderstorm threat, according to the National Weather Service Mount Holly surf forecast.
- Beach temperatures should reach the lower 80s along much of the Jersey Shore Wednesday.
- Ocean water remains in the mid-70s around Monmouth County and lower 70s around Cape May.
- The rip-current risk is low along much of the Shore Wednesday, although that does not mean there is no risk.
Locals’ Summer Has Arrived at the Jersey Shore
For Shore residents, September can deliver some of the best beach days of the year.
The boardwalks are quieter. Parking gets easier in many towns. Restaurants have more breathing room, and the beaches that were packed with vacationers a few weeks ago suddenly have room to spread out.
But summer weather doesn’t disappear when the calendar flips past Labor Day.
In eastern Monmouth County, Wednesday’s beach forecast calls for partly sunny skies and temperatures in the lower 80s. The ocean is still in the mid-70s — warmer than it was for much of the early summer — with surf around one foot.
Farther south, Ocean City and the Cape May County beaches should see mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the lower 80s. Water temperatures there are running in the lower 70s, with waves of just 1 to 2 feet.
Atlantic City is looking at similar conditions, though water temperatures are cooler, in the upper 60s.
That’s a pretty good trade for losing the peak-season crowds.
The People on the Beach Change After Labor Day
September has a different rhythm along the Shore.
Instead of beaches dominated by weeklong vacations and packed family groups, weekday crowds tend to become more local: retirees with beach chairs, fishermen working the surf, surfers watching for a swell and residents squeezing in a few hours by the ocean before or after work.
Remote work has added another character to that mix. A laptop in the morning can turn into a beach chair in the afternoon when home is only a few minutes from the ocean.
Tourists haven’t completely disappeared, either. September weekends can still draw crowds, particularly when temperatures cooperate, but the weekday crush of July and August is largely gone.
In towns such as Belmar, Point Pleasant Beach and Long Beach Island, the weeks immediately after Labor Day can feel less like the end of summer and more like the Shore finally being handed back to the people who live here.
Warm Ocean, Small Waves — But Don’t Ignore the Water
Wednesday’s forecast comes with one important caution.
The rip-current risk is classified as low across much of the New Jersey coast, but low risk does not mean zero risk. The National Weather Service warns that dangerous rip currents can still develop around jetties, groins, reefs and piers.
There is another difference between a September beach day and one in July: lifeguard coverage.
Many towns reduce weekday staffing or close some guarded beaches after Labor Day. Anyone planning to swim should check locally before entering the water and use a guarded beach whenever one is available.
The UV index is also forecast to be very high Wednesday. The cooler September feel can be deceptive; the sun is still strong enough to make sunscreen worthwhile for anyone spending several hours outside.
And the quiet conditions won’t necessarily last.
Winds increase later Wednesday, particularly farther south, and Thursday brings stronger southwest winds along parts of the coast. Cape May County could see gusts approaching 30 mph overnight before another warm day Thursday.
For Wednesday, though, the equation is simple: warm air, warm ocean, small waves and fewer people.
The calendar may say summer vacation is over.
September can still deliver genuine summer beach weather.
Wednesday brings temperatures around the lower 80s along much of the coast while ocean temperatures remain comfortable for early September.
The ocean is especially warm around Monmouth County.
Water temperatures are in the mid-70s there, while Cape May County beaches are running in the lower 70s.
A low rip-current risk still requires caution.
Dangerous currents can occur even on low-risk days, and lifeguard coverage is reduced at many beaches after Labor Day.
Sources: National Weather Service Mount Holly surf zone forecast and coastal forecasts for Wednesday, Sept. 9.
