You’re at the beach for a day of fun and sun with your family. The water looks inviting — almost begging you to jump in and play. You wonder, is it safe to go in? Before you get in that water, make sure you pay attention to the water’s conditions and “know before you go.”
Before entering the water along a beach, know the conditions of the water. The water may look safe, but there can be many dangers. If there are breaking waves (surf) along a beach, the water washing up on the beach often returns to the ocean in the form of a rip current. Rip currents are narrow channels of water that move away from the shore at a faster speed than the water surrounding it. They are strongest just below the surface. Rip currents can sweep even excellent swimmers out to sea, sometimes causing them to panic and drown. Learn about rip current safety at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/.
Here are some good ways to “know before you go” and make yourself aware of the water conditions:
Talk to a Lifeguard or Beach Patrol. No one knows the current water conditions better than lifeguards or beach patrol. They are trained to detect dangerous currents and waves and know other conditions such as the water temperature.
Know What the Warning Flags Mean. Beach warning flags are often posted on or near a lifeguard’s stand. Typically, a green flag means water conditions are safe, but other colors usually mean conditions are not safe.
Check the Surf Zone or Weather Forecast. Surf Zone Forecasts from the National Weather Service can be found at www.nws.noaa.gov/beachhazards/surfzones.shtml. Click on the dot closest to the beach you are visiting. You can also ask the hotel or rental agency where your family is staying for local sources of weather and beach forecasts.
Inspect the Water Yourself. Beaches are more dangerous when the waves are larger and there is less time between breaking waves. One clue that there might be a rip current is when the water in an area looks different than the surrounding water. If you see an area that appears dirtier than the nearby water, or if you see an area where the water is moving away from shore while the surrounding water is moving toward the shore, you’re likely seeing a rip current. Rip currents and other dangerous currents are also more likely near structures and jetties.
So, know before you go and you’ll be safe from head to toe!
Wayne Presnell is a meteorologist with the Marine and Coastal Services Branch, National Weather Service, NOAA. Please visit the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Beach Hazards and Safety website to learn more about beach hazards and how to stay safe at the beach: www.nws.noaa.gov/beachhazards/.
