HAMPTON, Va. — As of July 10, purple flags were flying at Buckroe Beach and alerts were posted on lifeguard stands to let people know about jellyfish in the water.
“I had a very bad sting," Antoinette Weathers recalled.
Weathers is a lifelong Hampton resident. She was stung by a jellyfish at Buckroe Beach as a girl, but still remembers what it was like.
Watch: Hampton starts Teen Thursdays events at Buckroe Beach in response to recent 'takeovers'
“The tentacles actually wrapped all around my arm and my torso," said Weathers.
She was fine, but it’s a reminder of to be careful.
“I would just be prepared on first aid measures for jellyfish and avoiding them if at all possible," Weathers explained.
Watch: Developers discuss vision for housing, retail development at Buckroe Beach
Beachgoers News 3 talked with said the jellyfish weren’t hard to spot right.
“Yes, we did. As soon as we got here," Melinda McCurdy responded when asked if she had seen jellyfish.
“There were two in the sand right at the shore," Antwinette Woodson said.
Watch: People comb Buckroe Beach to see what washed up after weekend storm
The jellyfish come every year, but in 2026 they arrived earlier than usual.
“Usually, it’s a little bit later in July and in to August. For some reason, this year the water has warmed up a little bit quicker than it normally does," said Hampton Aquatics Unit Manager Bob Manners.
Video shared with News 3 offers an idea of what you might see. The video shows jellyfish in the Elizabeth River in Norfolk in June. News 3 wasn’t able to get video of jellyfish in the water at the beach, but Manners said at least one of the jellyfish looked like what was being seen at the beach.
Watch: Buckroe Beach residents discuss homelessness concerns with state, local leaders
If you do get stung, tell a lifeguard so they can keep track.
“The best thing to do is rinse off the area with salt water," Manners said.
Gently rubbing wet sand on the sting can also help.
Watch: Buckroe Beach residents discuss homelessness concerns with state, local leaders
“Kind of an exfoliating thing to try to lift any of the barbs out," said Manners.
Contrary to popular belief, though, he said peeing on a jellyfish sting won't help.
If the jellyfish concern you, he said some cold rain to cool the water down or continued heat that makes the water warmer than 86 degrees could reduce the number of jellyfish showing up.
Click here to see how we use AI at WTKR News 3.
