1500 Hours, Friday, Aug. 27, 2010: The first major hurricane of the 2010 Atlantic season is forecast to steer clear of the eastern United States, but Hurricane Danielle could still stir the surf and make for potentially dangerous swimming and rough boating conditions along Delaware’s coast this weekend.

Hurricane Danielle, now a Category 4 storm, is expected to curve away from the eastern United States and Bermuda in the next 24 to 36 hours. The storm, however, will send out ocean swells for hundreds of miles, and forecasters say 3- to 5-foot waves and rip currents are possible in the surf zone, beginning early Saturday and lasting through Monday.

The Sussex County Emergency Operations Center reminds the public to use caution if visiting area beaches, even if the threat seems minimal. Always heed the direction of lifeguards on duty at local beaches and state parks.

“With this being the next to last weekend before Labor Day, many people are trying to squeeze in one last bit of summer before returning home to work and school,” Sussex County EOC Director Joseph L. Thomas said. “Even though the sun will be shining and the temperatures will be hot, we’re moving into the peak storm season. So what’s occurring 500 miles away can still have some limited effects here, and people need to keep that in mind.”

Meantime, the EOC continues to monitor the progress of Tropical Storm Earl and another area of disturbed weather deep in the eastern Atlantic, both of which could affect the region in the next week to 10 days. Stay tuned to local television and radio stations for any updates.

###