Crowds flock to the Shore, pack beaches as temperatures soar

By Avalon Zoppo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com and Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comJersey Shore beaches were dotted with colorful umbrellas, sunbathers and beachgoers Sunday, making some towns look like the Fourth of July weekend.
Daytrippers trekking to the sand to beat the heat caused traffic along the Garden State Parkway, as temperatures soared above 90 degrees in some parts of the state, like Trenton and Newark.
“It’s crowded like a summer day,” a Belmar beach official said.
Picture time breaks out on a jetty. The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
In Asbury Park, Amanda Hager was on the beach for the first time since last August, dancing with a hula hoop.
“I’m just having fun, it’s what I do. But I can’t wait for the Stone Pony Summer Stage,” she said.
With no lifeguards on duty until Memorial Day weekend in most towns and high risk for rip currents, some warned visitors to stay out of the water. An offshore storm was expected to cause swells, making swimming potentially dangerous.
“It may be getting warmer but remember, lifeguards are still NOT on duty. Do not risk your lives in dangerous water,” Seaside Park wrote on its Facebook page going into the weekend.
Amanda Hager hula hoops a week before the official start of summer in Asbury Park, N.J. on May, 23, 2021.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Fran Maiatico and Cara Maiatico sit at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean a week before the official start of summer in Asbury Park on Sunday, May 23, 2021. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Picture time breaks out on a jetty. The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Crowds arrived in Asbury Park on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
A week before the official start of summer, The Jersey Shore enjoyed a day of summer-like heat on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
A week before the official start of summer, The Jersey Shore enjoyed a day of summer-like heat on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
A week before the official start of summer, The Jersey Shore enjoyed a day of summer-like heat on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Selfie time breaks out on a jetty in Asbury Park on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Fran Maiatico and Cara Maiatico get a dose of the cold Atlantic Ocean as they sit on chairs as the tide rolls in. The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summer.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The beach in Asbury Park was packed on Sunday, May 23, 2021, a week before the official start of summe