Spring Break season is almost upon us, and that means many of us will be heading to the beach. But before you go, there's something I want to warn you about.
Rip Currents are one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths, so let's dive into how they form and how you can stay from them.
Rip Currents all start due to sand bars far out in the ocean, water rises over the sand bar and crashes into the beach shore. All that water from the crashing waves has to pushed back out into the ocean somehow, and rip currents are how that is accomplished.
Rip currents start at the shoreline and pull water back out into the ocean. The travel far out, impact the sand bar and then turn back to shore, riding the next round of incoming waves.
It's important to note- rip currents can be present anywhere with crashing waves. So if the beach has waves with white foam, there could be rip currents present and you need to pay special attention.
If you are caught in a rip current:
-Don't fight the current. Currents are powerful and chances are it will tire you out and lead to exhaustion, which can be quite dangerous.
-Do swim parallel to the shore. Gut instinct will tell you to swim directly toward the beach, but remember how we talked about the current brushing up against a sand bar and then returning to shore? If you swim parallel to the beach, you will eventually impact this portion of the current and be able to reach shore in a much more safe fashion.
-Don't directly swim against the current, float or tread water.
Lastly, beaches often have life guards and neighbors who are willing to help. So don't be afraid to yell and ask for help if you need it.
Got a weather question you want answered? Email ganello@waaytv.com!
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