The dangers of rip currents

AccuWeather

Even hurricanes far out at sea can trigger dangerous rip currents along the coast. AccuWeather's Ariella Scalese shares essential tips for staying safe when surf conditions turn rough.

Transcript

00:00When a hurricane is near the coast, most people focus on the wind and rain and storm surge impacts.

00:05However, rip currents, which can occur even if the storm is far offshore, are often an overlooked

00:10beach hazard. Hurricanes, even those far offshore, can cause dangerous rip currents due to the

00:15powerful winds and waves they generate. These strong winds push water towards the shore,

00:20causing a buildup of water along the beach. This excess water that needs to return to the ocean,

00:25and it often does so through a narrow concentrated channel called rip currents. Based on data from

00:302013 to 2023, rip currents and rough surf are the third highest cause of direct U.S. fatalities from

00:37tropical cyclones, many of which occur due to storms that are located well offshore. According to the

00:43National Weather Service, just this year, dozens of people have died from rip currents and other

00:47surf zone hazards in the U.S. over the past decade. The average annual death toll from rip currents

00:53has been 76. So what can you do to stay safe? Well, of course, continue to check in with the

00:58AccuWeather forecast, even on a blue sunny sky day. And if we're worried about surf, there'll be a tag

01:04in there that says watch for unusually rough surf and rip currents. Then you also want to set up near

01:09a lifeguard stand. According to the United States Life Saving Association, the likelihood of drowning at

01:14a beach under USLA lifeguard protection is one in 18 million. And then look for those warning flags,

01:21which indicate the safety of the water that day. If you do end up going into the water and getting

01:26caught in a rip current, you want to flip, float and follow. Excellent advice from the Great Lakes

01:31Surf Rescue Project. Flip over to your back, keep your head above water, stay calm and conserve your

01:36energy. And don't fight the current. You want to swim perpendicular to the flow. And if you're too

01:41tired, just continue to float until someone can come out and rescue. Stay safe this week for beachgoers.

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