Two Jersey Shore towns announced that a popular fundraising event scheduled for the long New Year's weekend has been cancelled due to temperatures expected to be well below freezing, the communities said in statements.

The Polar Bear Plunge events in Ocean City and Ventnor City have been scrapped. The Press of Atlantic City reported that in a third community, Brigantine, the plunge has been rescheduled for Jan. 13. Participants in the plunges gather near the ocean for a dip in the waters, usually as part of a charity fundraiser.

In Ocean City, town officials said "concerns about public safety in frigid conditions" prompted them to cancel the Jan.1 event, although other First Night and First Day events will proceed as scheduled.

In Ventnor City, organizers also cited the expected Jan. 1 high of just 18 degrees to present a significant safety hazard in their decision to cancel the plunge.

"As disappointing as this is, we would rather err on the side of safety and think cancelling is the right thing for [plunge organizer] Mr. Wiesen to do," said Mayor Beth Holtzman and the city's commissioners in a statement.

The Atlantic City Polar Plunge is still scheduled to take place Jan. 1. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. near Resorts Casino Hotel on North Carolina Avenue.

The Sons of Ireland also still plan to hold their Polar Bear Plunge in Asbury Park on Jan. 1. Anyone interested in participating in the charity event can register on their website.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.