Swimmers warned to avoid ocean along NC coast due to Hurricane Lorenzo

WILMINGTON, N.C. — The National Weather Service is warning swimmers in North Carolina to avoid the Atlantic Ocean because of rip currents created by Hurricane Lorenzo.

Although the National Hurricane Center puts the center of Lorenzo more than 1,000 miles southwest of the Azores, the weather service says elevated rip current risks exist along the coast for most of the week.

The warning targets the entire North Carolina coast.

Forecasters say the surf is dangerous for "all levels of swimmers," and adds that areas north of Cape Lookout could see breaking waves up to 7 feet high.

Associated Press