Conditions on the Sound

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - Life on Long Island Sound is both beautiful and dangerous. That's something the U.S. Coast Guard and weather watchers know all too well. 

The sun, the sound of water lapping on the sand and shore -- These are the scenes that draw us to the Sound.

Storms are not.

For the men and women at the Coast Guard they must face both. Tied to its every move, the folks at the Guard keep one eye on the weather, the other on trouble.

"They are risking their own lives to save other people's lives so they have to be prepared for the worst and know exactly what is going on," Storm Team 8 Meteorologist Steve Villanueva said.

And in the winter months that can be tricky. A combination of fluctuating tides and strong on-shore flows brought on by storms could spell disaster.

"You are talking about a massive change between high and low tides - dangerous rip tides, coastal flooding - just really nasty conditions," Storm Team 8 Meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin said.

"You factor in a cold water temperature with big waves and maybe someone that's out there that shouldn't - now your talking about every minute, every second, can make the difference," says ," Storm Team 8 Meteorologist Gil Simmons.

And make no bones about it the water is cold. It can get down to 34 degrees in Central Long Island Sound.

"You get a colder water situation, you get some stormy weather, maybe some uneducated people about the dangers, and now its up to the Coast Guard to save lives," Simmons said.

And there are tools to help. Buoys are constantly transmitting weather data, helping the Guard and others determine what conditions are out there.

"Those are the kind of things you want to stay ahead of so boaters are aware of what's going on not only the shore but what's happening out in the sound as well," Simmons said.

And then there are the forecasts themselves.

"So all of us at Storm Team 8 make sure to keep a close eye on model data as it is being released," Meteorologist Erica Grow said. "It's released several times a day and there's always someone taking a look at the latest models."

And a lot can be happening,  especially when a storm is breaking.

"Storm surge is everything," MacLaughlin said.

"Imagine what it's like if you are on the water in a boat in that type of weather. You are talking about wind is so strong it is moving the actual water beyond the place that gravity wants to take it."

A scenario no one wants to be a part of.