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Blue Buttons

Blue Buttons Invade Virginia Beach: Strange Marine Colonies Wash Ashore

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Beachgoers in Virginia Beach got an unexpected surprise this week when unusual marine creatures, known as blue buttons, began appearing along the shore. The sightings were reported at Dam Neck and Sandbridge, where locals captured photos of the small, flat, button-like organisms. At first glance, these creatures might look like tiny jellyfish, but marine experts confirm they are something entirely different.

Story Highlights:

  • Blue buttons are hydrozoan colonies, not true jellyfish.

  • Spotted at Dam Neck and Sandbridge in Virginia Beach.

  • Hurricane Erin likely carried them from tropical waters.

  • The creatures are small but can sting; experts advise caution.

  • Most measure around two inches or less, some the size of a quarter.

Robert Donovan, a marine expert with the Virginia Aquarium, explained the unique nature of these creatures.

“It is not technically a jellyfish,” Donovan said. “They are gelatinous, yes, but they do not meet the criteria for a true jellyfish. What people are seeing is a colony of animals that collectively appear as a single organism.”

He compared blue buttons to the Portuguese man o’ war, noting that these are hydrozoan colonies, meaning that each “creature” is actually a complex community of individual animals working together.

The timing of these unusual appearances may not be coincidental. Meteorologists and marine biologists suggest that Hurricane Erin played a role in pushing the blue buttons toward the Virginia coastline. Typically, these organisms thrive in warmer, tropical waters and rely on wind and ocean currents to move. Unlike some sea creatures, they have no ability to control their direction, which explains why they appeared far from their natural habitat.

“The presence of blue buttons along Virginia Beach is a perfect example of how extreme weather events can transport marine life over long distances,” Donovan explained.

Blue buttons are deceptively small. Most measure about two inches across, though some of the specimens found along Sandbridge were even smaller, roughly the size of a dime or a quarter. Their flat, button-like appearance makes them easy to spot against the sand, but don’t let their appearance fool you. Despite their delicate look, these hydrozoan colonies can deliver a potent sting.

Beachgoers are being cautioned to keep their distance.

“The best thing to do if you see the blue button or any other floating hydrozoans in the water is to get out immediately,” Donovan warned. “Their sting can be dangerous and quite potent.”

Even when washed up on the shore, blue buttons are not safe to touch.

“I would not touch them. I would not pick them up. If you see them on the beach, give them a wide berth,” Donovan added.

As the late-summer season continues and more sightings emerge along the Virginia coast, experts say that beach visitors should remain vigilant. Blue buttons in Virginia Beach are visually striking, but they are best appreciated from a safe distance.

What are blue buttons?- Hydrozoan colonies that look like jellyfish but are not true jellyfish.
Where were they spotted?- Dam Neck and Sandbridge in Virginia Beach.
Are they dangerous? -Yes, their sting can be potent.
Can you touch them on the sand?- Experts advise against touching, even if washed ashore.
Why are they showing up now?- Hurricane Erin likely pushed them from tropical waters to the Virginia coast.

While blue buttons may look harmless and even beautiful, their potent sting makes them a risk for beachgoers. Experts urge caution and advise keeping a safe distance, whether in the water or on the sand. As more sightings appear along Virginia Beach following Hurricane Erin, visitors should stay alert and enjoy these unusual hydrozoan colonies from afar. Safety comes first, even in the face of nature’s strange coastal surprises.

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Hurricane Erin Weakens But Coastal Danger Looms

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Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, has begun transitioning into a post-tropical storm, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). After days of high surf, rip currents, flooding, and emergency evacuations along the East Coast, Erin is now racing into the North Atlantic Ocean, gradually weakening but still massive in size.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Hurricane Erin now a Category 1 storm with 90 mph winds.

  • Transition to post-tropical expected Friday night.

  • Outer Banks evacuation orders remain as Highway 12 stays closed.

  • Rip currents and 20-foot waves batter East Coast beaches.

  • 50 rescues in New Jersey, state of emergency declared.

  • Surfers ignore warnings, ride rare hurricane swells.

  • Three more tropical disturbances form in the Atlantic.

Erin’s Rapid Shift Away From U.S. Coast

According to the latest NHC advisory, Hurricane Erin is about 400 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and 460 miles north-northwest of Bermuda, moving east-northeast at 28 mph.

“On the forecast track, the center of Erin will pass south of Atlantic Canada today and tonight, and then race across the north Atlantic waters,” the NHC said in its Friday morning update.

No coastal watches or warnings remain, but the NHC warns that swimming conditions at many East Coast beaches will stay dangerous for several days. Coastal flooding could persist into Friday night, particularly in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

From Category 2 to Post-Tropical: How Erin Changed

On Thursday afternoon, Erin was still a Category 2 hurricane, packing 100 mph winds and posing a severe threat to the Atlantic coastline.

By Friday morning, the storm had weakened to Category 1, with winds dropping to 90 mph, and entered the early stages of a post-tropical transition.

The Weather Channel explained: “A post-tropical storm is not a downgrade — the system changes structure, but it can still cause significant impacts.”

What Makes a Hurricane Different From a Post-Tropical Storm?

  • Hurricane: Tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 74 mph or higher.

  • Tropical Storm: Winds between 39 and 73 mph.

  • Post-Tropical Storm: Storm that has cooled and lost its tropical structure but may still be dangerous.

States of Emergency and Coastal Flooding

On Thursday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency, warning residents:

“Absolutely no one should be in the water today or tomorrow due to life-threatening rip currents.”

Officials across Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and New York issued beach closure orders. Yet, surfers ignored warnings, drawn by waves reaching 20 feet in Nantucket and massive swells along the East Coast.

Rescues and Highway Closures

The Margate City Fire Department in New Jersey reported 50 rescues late Thursday night:

  • 16 people and three dogs were pulled from six stranded vehicles.

  • 34 more people were rescued from two flooded restaurants.

Meanwhile, in the Outer Banks, evacuation orders remain for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. North Carolina’s Highway 12, the main road connecting the barrier islands, is still closed after being swamped by storm surge.

“The good news is Hurricane Erin is beginning to move away from us,” the North Carolina DOT said. “Crews will be out working to clear what they can.”

Massive Waves and Dangerous Rip Currents

Early Thursday, a buoy 150 miles east of Cape Hatteras recorded 40-foot average waves, some even higher. By mid-morning, wave heights dropped to 25 feet, but the National Weather Service warned that high surf advisories would remain through Saturday.

The NWS reminded beachgoers:

“If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Swim parallel to the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call for help.”

A Giant Among Hurricanes

Erin was unusually large, stretching 530 miles wide — far bigger than the typical 300-mile-wide Atlantic hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extended 105 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reached 320 miles.

What’s Next? More Storms Brewing

The NHC is now monitoring three more tropical disturbances behind Erin in the Atlantic. One system has a 70% chance of becoming a cyclone within seven days, raising concerns about another potential storm forming soon.

As Hurricane Erin weakens and transitions into a post-tropical storm, the immediate threat to the U.S. coastline is fading, but risks remain. Dangerous rip currents, high surf, and coastal flooding will continue for the next few days along parts of the East Coast. While the storm avoided catastrophic landfall, its massive size and impact on beaches, transportation routes, and coastal communities highlight the power of the Atlantic hurricane season. With three more disturbances forming in the ocean, forecasters warn that this is far from the end — vigilance and preparedness remain critical.

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Hurricane Erin Explodes Into Category 5 Storm Threatening Deadly Rip Currents on East Coast

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Hurricane Erin intensified into a monstrous Category 5 storm over the Atlantic Ocean on August 16, marking one of the strongest systems of the season. Though the storm is not projected to make landfall in the United States, officials warn that the East Coast will face widespread danger in the form of life-threatening rip currents and dangerous surf.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) cautioned that the impacts of Hurricane Erin will stretch far beyond the storm’s track. As the system churns offshore, it will generate powerful ocean swells that could endanger swimmers and beachgoers along much of the U.S. East Coast in the days ahead.

Risk Already Building Along Florida Beaches

The National Weather Service office in Jacksonville, Florida, reported that moderate rip current risks had already developed on August 16 along parts of northeastern Florida. Conditions are expected to worsen and expand along the East Coast as Hurricane Erin continues to move north.

“Rip current threats are likely to increase along the East Coast of the United States early next week,” the NHC said in a public advisory, stressing that even beaches far from the storm’s center could see dangerous waves.

Dangerous Surf to Reach New England

Meteorologists emphasize that Hurricane Erin’s influence will not remain confined to the Southeast.

“Dangerous surf conditions could reach as far as New England beaches,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski told USA TODAY, underscoring that the storm’s size and strength will make its effects widespread.

The late-summer timing makes the threat particularly concerning. National Hurricane Center Director Mike Brennan warned that these are the very conditions when tragedies occur.

“The weather may look perfect for a beach trip, but rip current fatalities tend to happen during exactly these situations,” Brennan said. “Rip currents are often invisible from shore, and they can appear suddenly.”

Rip Currents: Silent Killers of the Coastline

Rip currents are narrow, fast-moving channels of water that surge away from the shore and pull swimmers into deeper waters. They can flow at speeds faster than an Olympic swimmer, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Unlike waves that crash toward the shore, rip currents drag swimmers outward. While they do not pull people underwater, they often leave them exhausted as they try to fight against the flow. This struggle frequently ends in drowning.

Data from NOAA highlights the danger: rip currents account for the majority of deaths among beach swimmers each year. Since 2010, over 800 people have died from rip current drownings. In 2025 alone, 52 surf zone deaths have been recorded so far, with nearly half linked directly to rip currents.

What To Do If You Get Caught in a Rip Current

Officials stress that the most important step is to remain calm. Rip currents will not drag swimmers underwater but will carry them away from shore. Swimming against the current is the biggest mistake, as it leads to exhaustion.

Instead, experts advise swimming parallel to the shoreline until out of the current’s grip, then angling back toward the beach.

“Don’t panic, don’t fight the water. Work with it,” Brennan said.

What If Someone Else Is Struggling?

Rip current rescues pose an added danger: many drown while attempting to save others.

“Plenty of people drown trying to rescue friends or family in rip currents,” NOAA warns in its Rip Current Survival Guide.

If a swimmer is caught, the best response is to get help from a lifeguard immediately. If a lifeguard is not nearby, throw a flotation device and call 911, rather than entering the water yourself. Directing the person to swim parallel to shore may help them escape.

Lifeguard Shortage Raises Concern

The U.S. continues to face a nationwide shortage of lifeguards, leaving many popular beaches under-supervised. That shortage, combined with the looming threats from Hurricane Erin, could heighten risks for swimmers in the coming weeks.

Officials urge beachgoers to always check warning flags before entering the water, and to stay within sight of professional lifeguards whenever possible.

As Hurricane Erin powers through the Atlantic as a Category 5 storm, its force will be felt far beyond its center. Even without landfall, the storm poses a significant threat to the East Coast, where rip currents and dangerous surf can turn a summer outing into tragedy. With lifeguard shortages leaving many beaches vulnerable, officials urge swimmers to stay alert, follow warnings, and never underestimate the ocean’s hidden dangers. In the days ahead, safety awareness may prove to be the strongest defense against Hurricane Erin’s reach.

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