Hurricane Sam remains a major hurricane in the Atlantic expecting to move northeast well away from New Jersey.

Lifeguards told News 12 while the ocean is tempting on a warm day it may be better to refrain. While Hurricane Sam churns over 700 miles away from New Jersey east of Bermuda, the risk for dangerous rip currents and rough surf is high.

Asbury Park beach leaders say around 500-thousand beach goers visited the beach this year with 85 major water rescues from Memorial Day to mid-September. 

"It would be very dangerous for anyone to go in the water," aid Joe Bongiovanni, the beach safety supervisor for Asbury Park Beach. "In addition to that the water is pretty warm and people will want to go in. So it's gonna be a pretty bad situation if they wanna go in the water."

"I don't know of any towns that have lifeguards on this late in the season. When the storm is that far out, it still does send some big surf this way, so the surf I can see is building already this morning and as the tide goes out – it’s going to get worse."

Signs are posted on beaches reminding swimmers to that they are doing so at their own risk. But with the rough surf, it’s probably best to stay on shore.