By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist
August 4,2014; 9:46PM,EDT
While the United States will escape a direct hit from Hurricane Bertha, increased surf and the threat of rip currents will still develop along the East Coast this week.
On Monday, an aircraft investigating Bertha detected hurricane force winds.
This week, Bertha will turn northeastward into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean and will stay away from the United States.
Showers and thunderstorms affecting the southern Atlantic coast on Monday were not associated directly with Bertha, but rather an old frontal zone and a non-tropical disturbance.
That does not mean that the beaches of the U.S. East Coast will escape impacts from the bypassing tropical storm.
"Bertha will stay far away from a direct hit on the United States, but beachgoers along the East Coast should prepare for dangerous surf and rip currents early this week," stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Andy Mussoline.
While Bertha's winds will remain offshore, the winds will generate swells that will propagate outward. The swells will lead to the rough surf and the rip current danger along the Atlantic beaches from Florida to North Carolina Monday and Tuesday.
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The rough surf and rip current risk will begin to spread to the mid-Atlantic beaches later Tuesday, before stretching from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to southeastern Massachusetts on Wednesday. This includes the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
"Beachgoers should pay close attention to local warnings and talk to their lifeguards about water conditions," Mussoline continued.
If you are caught in a rip current, the best way to get out of the fast flowing water is to swim parallel to the coast and so doing not fight the current.
While the surf hazards are present, showers and thunderstorms will also create headaches for residents and visitors wanting to enjoy a beach day.
Bertha is forecast to pass very close to southeastern Newfoundland on Thursday with wind, rain and rough seas.
Bertha will strengthen through early this week. As of Monday midday, Bertha was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.
Waves will build and swells will expand farther from its center and impact the United States.
Surf will subside along the East Coast later in the week as Bertha heads into northern Atlantic and loses its tropical characteristics. AccuWeather.com meteorologists will be monitoring the potential for some rain and wind to clip southeastern Newfoundland on Thursday.
Those on Bermuda, may also notice an increase in showers and thunderstorms Wednesday through Thursday. However, the center of Bertha with the strongest winds will pass to the west and north of the islands.
Low Hurricane Count for June, July Not Uncommon
The relatively quiet Atlantic tropical season so far in 2014 is not that uncommon. Although the season officially begins on June 1, the most active period does not begin until mid-August.Stef Davis and Senior Meteorologist Bernie Rayno explain the ebb and flow of the hurricane season in the video below:
Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski contributed content to this story.
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