Narragansett Town Beach was busy on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (WJAR)
NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WJAR) —
Traffic jams continued along the Rhode Island coast on Wednesday as thousands of people flocked to the beach to beat the heat.
“I got here about two hours later and it was awful,” one East Providence resident said. “Traffic was awful.”
It was a frustrating yet fun start to the day.
“We left home,” he continued. “My wife and I left at 11:15 thinking we’d beat the traffic and get here early. But we didn’t!”
Many Rhode Island beaches were full by noon, leaving thousands stranded on roads.
NBC’s Erin Coogan talks to people who headed to the beach on a 90-degree day.
Wednesday’s commute was a sobering reminder for anyone hoping to take their day off from work.
“I can’t believe I took a day off work,” the Cumberland woman said, “I have my dog with me and he’s going to the beach. Otherwise I would have taken off work. It’s been really hard.”
But with temperatures in the Ocean State reaching the mid-90s Fahrenheit today, the morning chaos wasn’t enough to keep the crowds away.
“It’s pretty amazing,” explained Logan Caldera, a parking attendant at the state beach. “We’ve already been to two beaches. We started at East Matunuk and it was full by 10 a.m. I’ve never seen it that busy.”
Storm Team 10 Beach Forecast
Back in town, other families unable to bear the commute turned to other ways to stay cool.
“Right now I’m at the splash pad with my son,” said another man from East Providence, “just enjoying the weather.”
Splash pad officials stressed the importance of access to nearby cooling facilities and resources, telling NBC 10 the park allows people to enjoy all the summer fun without the hassle of driving for hours.
“It’s very important for the kids, especially when they don’t have a vehicle to get to the beach. It’s nice to have a place like this.”
Storm Team 10’s 10-Day Forecast
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management issued an air quality warning for Providence, Kent and Bristol counties on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
DEM said elevated ground-level ozone concentrations can cause throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, increased susceptibility to respiratory infections and aggravation of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
NBC 10’s Erin Coogan contributed to this report.