Cooler temperatures this week will feel more like late September than late August in New Jersey, forecasters say.

Lavallette, NJ – A beach outing nearly turned tragic last week when a group of 20 children were swept into a rip current following the sudden collapse of a sandbar, prompting a dramatic rescue by more than a dozen lifeguards along the Jersey Shore.

Beaches remain closed to swimming on Friday as strong rip currents from Hurricane Erin continue to create dangerous conditions. Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency for New Jersey on Thursday afternoon as Hurricane Erin battered coastal communities with strong winds and waves that flooded streets and eroded beaches.