7 Northeast Beaches Closed on Hottest Day of the Year

Although the East Coast is dealing with an intense heat wave this Tuesday, not every beach in Massachusetts is open to the public. 

The temperature this Tuesday in Massachusetts is a blistering 103 degrees. Since it's the hottest day of the year so far, it's only natural that people flock to the beach to enjoy a dip in the ocean. 

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, several beaches have been closed due to unacceptable bacteria levels. The main beach at the Walden Pond State Reservation, on the other hand, isn't open due to construction. In fact, it'll be closed all summer so a $6.1 million bathhouse can be built. 

Here are the current beaches closed this Tuesday: 

• Damon Pond Beach, Ashby
• Walden Pond, Concord
• Miacomet Pond, Nantucket
• Collins Cove, Salem
• Juniper Point, Salem
• Steps Beach, Salem
• Peckham Pond at Camp Nihan, Saugus

The closed beaches in Ashby, Nantucket, Salem and Saugus won't be allowed to reopen until their bacteria levels are back within acceptable range. 

So what can the public do to make the beach a safer place? Here are some tips from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: 

• Use public restrooms
• Do not feed birds
• Pick up and throw away trash using public waste bins
• Do not enter the water if you are ill/not feeling well
• Do not dump anything down storm drains
• Use walkways and do not walk on dunes

The heat wave in Massachusetts depart fairly soon, with temperatures dropping to the 60s as early as Thursday. 

In the meantime, people will have to find beaches that are actually open in order to stay cool.