Hurricane Jose kicks up surf at New Jersey, Delaware shores

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- Hurricane Jose churned off the southern part of the East Coast Monday as a Category One storm.

Tracking Hurricane Jose down the shore. Trish Hartman reports during Action News at 11 p.m. on September 18, 2017.

But even from afar it was stirring up the surf and creating rip currents along the New Jersey and Delaware shorelines.

Action News was in Atlantic City Monday morning, where the wind gusts hadn't picked up yet but the surf was noticeably rough.

Hurricane Jose kicks up surf in NJ: Nora Muchanic reports during Action News at Noon on September 18, 2017.

It was a similar story in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Watching Jose in Delaware: John Rawlins reports during Action News at 12:30 p.m. on September 18, 2017.

"They're surfer waves, and you don't see any surfers out there, that's what's funny," said Otto Lomberk.

Tracking Hurricane Jose's impact in Delaware. John Rawlins reports during Action News at 5 p.m. on September 18, 2017.

Lomberk was pushing his rolling cart along the boardwalk in Atlantic City.

As storms go, he said he is not too worried about Jose. He's just hoping the weather won't scare away business.

Jersey Shore preps for Hurricane Jose impact. Nora Muchanic reports during Action News at 4 p.m. on September 18, 2017.

"I ain't worried about it," he told Action News. "I've been through worse in Texas."

Earlier in Atlantic City, the Action Cam found waves crashing near north Maine and Madison.

Here and elsewhere along the East Coast, wind gusts will strengthen.

Jose begins to impact the Jersey shore: Katherine Scott reports during Action News at 4:30 a.m. on September 18, 2017.

The water along the shore has been rough for days, and Jose's approach is bringing renewed warnings for dangerous rip currents.

"Had boogie boards yesterday," said Nichole Gail, visiting from Ashland, Ohio. "And they wouldn't let us use them because they said it was too dangerous."

"It was a little but rough. The waves were higher than usual, I would say," said Steve Lyrette from Ottawa, Canada.

"I think it's rough, more today than it was yesterday," said Lionel Stocks from Bridgeton, N.J. "It's rough out there."

Wave heights are expected to grow, and experts say pounding surf could cause beach erosion.

Visitors were out and about on this Monday and said they definitely noticed the change in the water.

"It's crazy, because yesterday we went to the beach, and the shoreline wasn't very far," said Skyler Gail from Ohio. "But it went all the way up to the trash cans today."

"It's crazy," said Julia Dufour from North Philadelphia. "It looks like there's like 6-foot waves."

Forecasters say we could also see some tidal flooding.

So if you're at the Jersey or Delaware shores over the next few days, be careful when heading out.

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