The National Weather Service has issued a high risk of rip currents along all South Jersey beaches for Saturday, and cautions that a moderate rip current risk will probably continue through at least Wednesday.

This is the first high rip current risk of the season, but the risk has been moderate throughout the past week.

A high risk of rip currents means that strong and frequent rip currents are likely to form, and are often hard to detect. The rip currents are due to a long period southeast swell that promotes their formation.

Rip currents have led to an above average number of water rescues this week along the South Jersey shore, as well as multiple drownings.

ATLANTIC CITY The families of two missing Atlantic County teens sat on the beach Friday af

Two Atlantic County teenagers were swept out to sea in a rip current Thursday evening off of Atlantic City and are presumed dead. The effort to recover their bodies continued Saturday morning.

Farther north off Belmar in Monmouth County, two more swimmers were caught in rip currents, where one of them drowned.

Meteorologist and beach patrols strongly advise beach-goers to only swim in the presence of lifeguards, and never swim on unguarded beaches.

Most South Jersey beach patrols are fully staffed seven days a week beginning this weekend.

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High risk of rip currents at all South Jersey beaches on Saturday - Press of Atlantic City