National Weather Service forecasters are warning of high surf and dangerous rip currents as Hurricane Erin passes offshore of Southern New England on Thursday.

A High Surf Advisory is in place along much of the immediate coast, stretching from southern-facing areas like New Bedford up to Gloucester on the North Shore. The advisory warns of large breaking waves up to 20 feet in the surf zone. Conditions will be most intense in those southern-facing areas, forecasters said.

The advisory is in place until 8 p.m. Saturday.

"Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions," forecasters wrote.

Cape Cod and the islands are under a separate advisory for wind, which warns of sustained winds between 15 and 30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph. That advisory is i

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