Crowds pack the Jersey Shore on day of record-breaking temps

<p>Large crowds of beachgoers crowded the Jersey Shore Thursday on a day that temperatures broke records.</p>

News 12 Staff

May 18, 2017, 9:07 PM

Updated 2,916 days ago

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Large crowds of beachgoers crowded the Jersey Shore Thursday on a day that temperatures broke records.
Temperatures reached the mid-90s, breaking some records set nearly 30 years ago.
Many took advantage of the above-average spring weather and spent some time on the beach in Asbury Park.
“I just wanted to come to the beach, get some color… It’s a nice day out,” said Manhattan resident Valerie Iaccarino.
Whether they were enjoying laying out on the sand or having a drink at the beach bar, many said that the weather made them happy after a less-than-stellar spring.
“I’m definitely ready for the summer. Ready for the beautiful weather,” said Madison resident Joe Horn. “We are here, we are ready to have fun.”
Although temperatures were in the 90s, ocean temperatures were still in the 50s. Asbury Park beach safety director Joe Bongiovanni said that it is still not completely safe to go swimming.
“A lot of people are decent swimmers… but if you get 30 or 40 yards out in that 50-degree water, you start to get hypothermic. Your muscles are going to start cramping up. You’re going to get tired, you’re going to lose your breath a lot quicker, so it’s just a lot more dangerous,” he said.
One beachgoer brave enough to test the water was Hannah Duplessis, who was visiting from South Africa.
“It was like having a panic attack,” she said. “You just have to breathe through it and then your body numbs and it becomes quite pleasant.”
Sunshine and warm weather should stick around for Friday. The weekend is expected to cool down into the 60s.
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