JERSEY SHORE — Who’s headed down the shore this weekend? The unofficial kickoff to summer is nearly upon us and thousands will be headed to the beach to celebrate.

From Long Branch to Cape May, certain beaches will be staffed with lifeguards starting Memorial Day Weekend. Officials frequently urge beachgoers to only swim at protected beaches for safety purposes.

Here’s your guide for where to find guarded beaches at the Jersey Shore.

2024 Jersey Shore Beach Guide: Beach Badges, Town Curfews

GATEWAY RECREATION AREA SANDY HOOK

Lifeguards are on duty at Sandy Hook from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day. Sandy Hook’s Lifeguards are on duty at beaches C, D, and G. There are no lifeguards at North Beach or Beach E.

SEA BRIGHT

The Sea Bright Municipal Beach and Anchorage Beach are guarded.

There are seven free public beach access ways on Ocean Avenue identified by signs that provide access to the public-use area in front of the private beach clubs and are considered unsupervised municipal beaches. No lifeguards are present on those beaches and they are governed by the rules in Chapter 66 of the Code of Sea Bright.

MONMOUTH BEACH

Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion opens May 25 through 27 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with lifeguards on duty.

LONG BRANCH

Municipal beaches are guarded (there are 17 lifeguard stands) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting this weekend.

SEVEN PRESIDENTS OCEANFRONT PARK

The beach opens Memorial Day weekend and lifeguards return then as well.

ALLENHURST

Allenhurst Beach Club will post daily staffing levels on their website.

ASBURY PARK

The beaches open Memorial Day Weekend from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lifeguards are on duty during these hours.

OCEAN GROVE

The beach opens Memorial Day Weekend, with lifeguards on duty from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

DEAL

Deal Casino Beach Club has a waiting list for memberships and does not offer single-day beach access for swimming. For those with access, lifeguards are on duty this weekend from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

LOCH ARBOUR

Beaches are staffed with lifeguards starting this weekend, but operating hours were not available online.

AVON-BY-THE-SEA

Lifeguards are on site this weekend from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The designated beaches are updated here.

BRADLEY BEACH

Beaches are open and will be guarded this weekend 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

SPRING LAKE

Main beaches are open starting this weekend 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

BELMAR

Lifeguards go on duty this weekend 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

SEA GIRT

Lifeguards are on duty this weekend 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

MANASQUAN

Lifeguards are on duty at all 17 beaches from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH

Jenkinson’s beaches are guarded 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Maryland Avenue Beach Club and Bradshaw’s Beach Club are also guarded 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

BAY HEAD

The beaches are operated by the Bay Head Improvement Association and do not open for the season until June 15.

MANTOLOKING

Lifeguards don’t go on duty until June 15.

BRICK TOWNSHIP

Brick Beach 1, 2, and 3 on the ocean, and Windward Beach Park open beginning Memorial Day Weekend. The ocean beaches are guarded 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. Swimming is not allowed at Windward Beach.

TOMS RIVER/ORTLEY BEACH

Beaches open starting Memorial Day Weekend 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will be guarded.

LAVALLETTE

Beaches officially open June 15.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS

Lifeguard stands are located on the ocean beach at most streets except Sherman Avenue, Grant Avenue, and Porter Avenue. The bay beach lifeguard stand is located bayside approximately 100′ south of the Stewart’s Root Beer concession.

SEASIDE PARK

Details on guarded beaches were not available.

ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK

Lifeguards are on duty 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

BARNEGAT LIGHT

Lifeguards are off duty until mid-June.

LOVELADIES (See Long Beach Township below)

HARVEY CEDARS

80th Street & Middlesex beaches will be guarded this weekend.

SURF CITY

Beaches are not guarded until June 15.

SHIP BOTTOM

Lifeguards are on duty patrolling the beach from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the lifeguard truck or All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).

LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP

Lifeguards will be on 68th St beach only from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting May 25.

BEACH HAVEN

A skeleton crew will be guarding the beaches this weekend. Specific streets were unavailable.

BRIGANTINE

Guarded beaches begin on the Memorial Day Weekend. These beaches are 15th Street South, 26th Street South and 39th Street South (weekends only).

ATLANTIC CITY

Find details on guarded beaches on the Atlantic City website.

VENTNOR CITY

Lifeguards are on beaches 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting this weekend. The beaches that lifeguards are on duty vary during the beginning and end of the summer. Call the Beach Headquarters at (609) 823-7948 for details.

MARGATE

Some beaches are protected starting this weekend 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 2024 beaches were unavailable but in 2023 these beaches were

• Clermont Ave
• Huntington Ave
• Thurlow Ave
• Washington Ave

LONGPORT

Beaches at 16th, 26th, 30th and 33rd avenues will be opened and guarded from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. this weekend.

OCEAN CITY

These beaches are guarded 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• St. Charles Place
• Brighton Place
• 8th Street
• 9th Street
• 10th Street
• 11th Street
• 12th Street
• 26th Street
• 34th Street
• 58th Street

STRATHMERE

Strathmere, part of Upper Township, will be guarded starting in June.

SEA ISLE CITY

These beaches are guarded this weekend (view the full season here).

• 40th Street
• 51st Street
• 59th Street
• 64.5th Street
• 75th Street
• 86.5th Street

AVALON

Beaches are guarded 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 9,12,15,18,21,24,26,28, 30 (surfing only at 30th Street),32,35,38,40,43,50,57,61,65,69,73,76,79.

STONE HARBOR

Lifeguards are on duty 10 a.m. to 5 p .m. this weekend and protected beaches are: 81st, 83rd, 86th, 87th, 90th, 93rd, 94th, 95th, 96th, 100th, 102nd, 103rd, 105th, 108th, 110th, 112th, 113th, 116th, 117th, 120th & 122nd.

NORTH WILDWOOD, WILDWOOD, WILDWOOD CREST

The beaches are free and guarded daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. starting this weekend.

CAPE MAY

Lifeguards go on duty July 1.

NEW JERSEY — Multiple rounds of severe storms are set to slam New Jersey Thursday, complete with damaging winds, heavy rain and hail, forecasters said.

The first round will be an “organized cluster” impacting regions along and northwest of I-95 through about noon as daytime high temperatures reach near 80 degrees, the National Weather Service said. The second round (composed of scattered storms) will hit the state this afternoon and evening, this time impacting areas mostly along and southeast of I-95.

Gusty winds up to 65 mph and hail will be possible during severe storms, the weather service said. The entire state is under a “marginal” risk for severe storms, according to graphics provided by the weather service.

Isolated tornadoes and flooding aren’t off the table for the hardest-hit regions, AccuWeather added, noting evening commuters should prepare for delays and disruptions.

As of 9:15 a.m., 11 New Jersey counties are under a severe thunderstorm warning through 9:45 a.m.

The effected counties are:

• Hunterdon
• Morris
• Sussex
• Warren
• Somerset
• Middlesex
• Passaic
• Union
• Bergen
• Essex
• Hudson

“60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail,” the National Weather Service said of the warning. “Damage to roofs, siding, trees, and power lines is possible.”

Additional showers and perhaps thunder will be possible — especially in South Jersey — late Friday into Saturday, the National Weather Service added.

Here’s the latest forecast, according to the National Weather Service:

North Jersey

Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 11 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., then a slight chance of showers after 5 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. West wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 80. West wind around 5 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: A slight chance of showers between 2 and 5 p.m., then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., then a chance of showers between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Patchy fog after 5 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Central Jersey

Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: A slight chance of showers before 11 a.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 84. North wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday: A slight chance of showers after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., then a chance of showers between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Patchy fog after 4 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

South Jersey

Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: A chance of showers, mainly before 11 a.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Patchy fog after 2 a.m. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 59. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: A chance of showers, mainly after 5 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. Light east wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New
precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Patchy fog after 2 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.