Weather Conditions and Warnings - Red flags are flying along the Maryland Eastern Shore through Delaware, the Jersey Shore, and Long Island, indicating hazardous conditions [1] - Coastal flood warnings are in effect for much of the Jersey Shore and the south shore of Long Island, with the possibility of 1 to 3 feet of inundation in normally dry areas [3][4] - Wave conditions are expected to persist through the night and into the next day, making it unsafe to enter the water [3] Impacted Locations and Restrictions - Swimming will be restricted in areas from Atlantic City down through Cape May and Wildwood, as well as Jones Beach, Robert Moses, and Montauk [6] - Popular vacation destinations along the Jersey coast are expected to be impacted [5] Water Temperatures and Hurricane Activity - Beach water temperatures have been in the middle to upper 70s (degrees Fahrenheit) over the past week, with the Jersey Shore currently at 75 degrees (degrees Fahrenheit) [8] - A hurricane thrives on 85 to 90 degree (degrees Fahrenheit) water [7] - There is a 70% chance of a storm developing into Fernand near the northern Leeward Islands, and two other potential storms are developing in the Atlantic [8][9] - The current hurricane season is expected to be busier than normal [9]

Hurricane Aaron Overview - Hurricane Aaron upgraded from tropical storm with winds at 75 miles/hour (approximately 120 km/hour) [1] - Expected to pass near Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands as a potential Category 3 hurricane [2] - Hurricane could intensify rapidly, potentially reaching Category 4 with 140 miles/hour (approximately 225 km/hour) winds [5][6] Potential US Impacts - Rip current warnings issued along the US East Coast [2] - Direct wind and rain impacts on the US mainland unlikely, based on current forecasts [8] - Indirect consequences include rip currents, waves, and beach erosion, especially midweek for the Mid-Atlantic and early next week for the Southeast [9] Forecast Uncertainty - Cone of uncertainty indicates potential for varied paths, initially considered a "fish storm" [7] - Computer models generally agree on keeping the storm well off the US coast by at least 500-600 miles (approximately 800-965 kilometers) [8]

Weather Forecast - China's weather agency forecasts heavy rain in parts of the country over the next three days [1] Affected Regions - Regions include Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, eastern Fujian, and Shanghai [1]

Weather Forecasting Concerns - Federal funding cuts to national climate organizations are expected to impact weather forecasting nationwide [1] - Reduced or suspended weather balloon launches at key sites are impacting severe weather forecasting [1] - The National Weather Service has experienced a reduction of almost 600 workers due to layoffs and buyouts [1] - Concerns exist that understaffed weather forecast offices could lead to needless loss of life [1] - A new bill in Congress aims to protect weather service workers from future federal budget cuts and classify them as critical to public safety [3] Agency Response - The National Weather Service states it is hiring over 100 people to stabilize operations across the country [2] - The Trump administration claims the agency will have enough resources despite criticism [2] - The agency asserts it is fully staffed with forecasters and scientists and will not compromise public safety or forecasting [3] Extreme Weather Events - Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified from a weak tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just 24 hours [4] - Erratic weather patterns from climate change are posing a threat to the forecasting industry [5]