As of this afternoon, the greatest concerns for coastal Rhode Island will be the increasing rip current risk from Hurricane Bill’s swells. Bill has already created some swell activity that will increase during the day. Very dangerous rip currents are expected along exposed beaches during Saturday and Sunday.
Swells will build to 10-12 feet just outside the mouth of Narragansett Bay and persist into Sunday morning.
RIEMA will staff our Emergency Operations Center from 12:00PM through 4:00PM on Saturday and from 7:00AM until 2:00PM on Sunday. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact the main RIEMA line 401-946-9996 during the operational hours listed above.
The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) is the state agency responsible for coordinating federal, state, and local resources to protect the public during disasters and emergencies. RIEMA helps develop plans for effective response to all hazards, trains emergency personnel, provides information to families and communities, and assists in recovery from disaster losses. You can learn more about RIEMA by visiting the RIEMA homepage at www.riema.ri.gov