After persistent rain, the clouds are expected to clear over Palm Beach in coming days.
But forecasters are still warning beachgoers about an increased risk for hazards — including rip currents — along the coast.
The messages of caution come just days after five people were rescued from the surf over Easter weekend at Midtown Beach, said Palm Beach Fire-Rescue spokesman Assistant Chief Joseph Sekula. In Juno Beach on April 1, a father from Maine died after saving two of his children from a rip current that then overtook him, The Palm Beach Post reported.
The National Weather Service issued an advisory for rip currents through April 11 and another advisory for high surf in effect through April 10 as of 2:45 p.m. April 8, cautioning that conditions were ripe for the type of dangerous waters that could be potentially life-threatening.
A rip current is a powerful channel of fast-moving water that flows away from the shore. Swimmers caught in rip currents can quickly be pulled far out to sea, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“It might be a beautiful day outside the water, but inside the water it’s another story,” said Sammy Hadi, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Miami.
The rip current risk has been high since March 26, he said. It’s possible that the rip current advisory will be extended again, as meteorologists continue to evaluate the situation, Hadi added.
“We’ve seen a lot of rescues, and unfortunately we have seen more than one fatality at the beach this week,” he said.
South of Palm Beach, ocean rescue crews pulled dozens of people in Miami-Dade and Broward counties from rip currents over the past week, according to multiple local news reports. A man in Pompano Beach died after being pulled unconscious from the ocean on Easter evening, April 5, Local 10 News reported.
The dangerous ocean conditions will persist following a pattern of rough weather that prompted a flood watch for coastal South Florida — including Palm Beach — extending into the night of April 8.
Large, breaking waves of 8 to 12 feet were expected in the surf zone along coastal Palm Beach County through 8 p.m. April 10, according to the advisory issued April 8 by the National Weather Service in Miami.
National Weather Service forecasters also issued an advisory in effect through 8 p.m. April 11 for the high risk of rip currents.
Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions, and some beach erosion, should be expected, the advisories said.
“Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water,” National Weather Service forecasters said in the advisories.
How do rip currents work?
Rip currents can pull people away from shore very quickly and are most often found at low spots or breaks in a sandbar and near structures such as jetties and piers, according to NOAA.
People who are not experienced swimmers should stay out of the water when at the beach while these advisories are in effect, the National Weather Service said. Those who do go in the water should swim near a lifeguard.
Rip currents form when incoming waves create an underwater sandbar. The waves push more water between the sandbar and the shore until it collapses and the water rushes back to the sea through a narrow gap, where it starts to spread out.
What should you do if you’re caught in a rip current?
By far the most important thing to do is to stay calm, and even try to relax, according to NOAA. Rip currents can be scary, but they will only pull you along, not under the water. The biggest danger is tiring yourself out.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at kwebb@pbdailynews.com. Subscribe today to support our journalism.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Dangerous rip currents, high surf expected along Palm Beach coast
Reporting by Kristina Webb, Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
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