Debby is long gone, but one danger lingers for NJ this weekend

"Little Debby Downpour" really turned into "Debby the Dud" for New Jersey this week. Yes, we had four days of solid rain. Including some downpours enhanced by deep tropical moisture. But the Garden State avoided the worst of Debby's wrath, as the heaviest rain passed about 75 miles to the west on Friday.

ALSO: Top Debby rainfalls and wind gusts in NJ 

Debby's remnant low pressure is over Canada now. New Jersey's rain ended early Saturday morning, and skies have since cleared. We are looking forward to beautiful weather this weekend, with plenty of sunshine and seasonably warm temperatures. And, most importantly, dropping humidity levels — making the air feel way less tropical and much more comfortable.

However, there is still one lingering Debby impact that deserves special mention. Especially because it is going to be a nice-weather weekend.

There is still an elevated risk for rough surf and dangerous rip currents along the Jersey Shore.

It may seem a little weird that the Atlantic Ocean is all churned up, since Debby's remnants passed west of New Jersey — taking an inland track up the East Coast.

The wind has been pretty strong though. And that can have a huge impact on ocean currents, wave periods and heights, and swell. Plus, we are coming off of two days of rough surf and high rip current risk — it takes a while for conditions to calm down again.

Rip currents (also known as rip tides) are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that can carry a swimmer far from the beach very quickly. Lifeguards have to rescue thousands of people from rip currents annually — the National Weather Service estimated approximately 100 people are killed by rip currents every year.

If you ever get caught in a rip current, it is very important to not fight it. Swim parallel to the shore and swim back to land at an angle.

For Saturday, an off-shore (westerly) wind is one driver of surf conditions, in addition to elevated surf heights. According to the National Weather Service, the dominant swell along the Jersey Shore is a long period, about 10 seconds between waves. Wave heights may be up to 3 feet. That is enough of a trigger to raise the rip current risk to Moderate. (At least it won't be high anymore.)

Conditions should continue to improve on Sunday, especially with the return of a gentle sea breeze. The rip current risk is forecast to drop to Low to close out the weekend. (But keep an eye on The Jersey Shore Report, posted every morning with the latest conditions.)

The bottom line here: Don't be surprised if the surf is rougher than you expected on this otherwise beautiful beach day. There will be problems, and there will be water rescues on Saturday, unfortunately. Be sure to follow all posted flags, signs, and lifeguard instructions. And never underestimate the ocean — it is always stronger than you.

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Check out Dan's weather blog or follow him on Facebook for your latest weather forecast updates.