Hurricane Isaias could bring deadly rip currents. What to know – and how to stay safe
With Hurricane Isaias soon to make landfall in the U.S., the impending consequences of its strong winds are setting off alarms in many states along the east coast.
Warnings include high rip current risks through the weekend and into next week for some regions, meteorologists say. Although these channeled currents are present every day in many beaches, under certain wave and tide conditions they can become dangerous and even deadly.
In 2019 alone, there were 101 reported fatalities in U.S. surf zones, and of those, 59 were a direct result of rip currents, according to the National Weather Service.
States that made it into Isaias’ “cone of uncertainty” such as Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina are on high alert for rip current risks.
As the hurricane approaches your state, don’t be fooled by the blue skies and clear waters, experts say. The danger lies beneath the surface.
What are rip currents?
Rip currents form when waves crash at the shore, creating water currents that flow away from a beach’s edge, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The channels of water can extend hundreds of feet past where waves begin to break.
Though often too slow to be considered dangerous, they can “exceed 5 mph, slower than you can run but faster than you or even an Olympic swimmer can swim,” the group says. Rip currents can also expand up to 200 feet wide.
How to spot a rip current
Before you leave for the beach, experts say you should check the latest weather forecast for any rip current warnings or other dangerous swimming conditions. If mother nature has given you the all clear, then check for differences in the water before hopping in.
Look for channels of choppy water, regions of differing water color — the outlier could flag where the current is — or lines of foam or seaweed moving away from the shoreline, NOAA said.
Rip currents tend to form at low spots in sandbars, near piers and jetties and typically in any beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes.
The best ways to avoid its dangers are to never swim alone, swim near a lifeguard, check for warning flags on the beach and “always assume rip currents are present even if you don’t see them… if in doubt, don’t go out!,” NOAA says.
Why are rip currents dangerous?
Rip currents are to blame for the majority of drowning deaths at the beach, reports show, and are considered the “greatest surf zone hazard to all beachgoers,” NOAA said, no matter how tall, strong or trained someone is.
Fatal events occur when the currents pull people offshore, making it difficult for them to stay afloat. Oftentimes, it is the panic, exhaustion and lack of swimming skills that lead to death.
But it’s important to remember that rip currents do not pull swimmers underwater, they pull them out to sea, according to NOAA. Beachgoers often use the term “undertow” and “rip currents” interchangeably, but the former is an “obsolete term” used to describe the general action of being knocked down and submerged by water.
Another phenomena confused with rip currents is “rip tides,” but they are different, NOAA says. “A rip tide is a specific type of current associated with the swift movement of tidal water through inlets and the mouths of estuaries, embayments, and harbors.”
What to do if caught in a rip current
First things first: remain calm and don’t fight the current, according to NOAA. Failing to do so gives fatigue the chance to overpower your attempts to stay afloat.
Next, swim across the current parallel to the shoreline, not towards it. When you find that the current doesn’t have so much of a hold on you, swim more at an angle toward the sand.
“Think of it like a treadmill you can’t turn off. You want to step to the side of it,” NOAA says. “If at any time you feel you will be unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself: face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help.”
If you see someone caught in a rip current, seek a lifeguard’s help. If one is not present, call 911, the group says. Try throwing the victim a floating device such as a lifejacket, cooler or ball, and yell proper instructions on swimming safely to shore.
“Many have died trying to help others. Don’t become a victim while trying to help someone else!” NOAA says.
This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Hurricane Isaias could bring deadly rip currents. What to know – and how to stay safe."
