PANAMA CITY BEACH − With the Beach in peak tourist season, there are a few things beachgoers need to remember when traveling to the area.
Unlike in other coast areas known for large swells, wave heights are not what lifeguards use to determine the color of beach safety flags along Panama City Beach. They are set daily based on the strength of rip currents, or fast-moving currents that run perpendicular to the shore and channel water out into the Gulf.
These silent killers are almost always the cause of beach drownings in the PCB area. There have already been two so far in 2026.
The second and most recent drowning occurred on May 25 near Beach Access 52. The victim was a woman who drowned during single-red-flag conditions. This means strong and dangerous rip currents were present at that time.
The city’s first 2026 beach drowning happened on May 7 near Beach Access 51. The victim was a male, who like the second victim, drowned under a single red flag.
Common colors used in beach flag warning systems include a green flag for low hazard conditions, a yellow flag for medium hazard conditions, one red flag for high hazard conditions and two red flags for very dangerous conditions.
Bay County and Panama City Beach, however, never fly green flags. Local officials say beachgoers should be cautious any time they enter the Gulf. It also is illegal year round in Bay and PCB to enter the Gulf under double-red-flag conditions. Violators can be ticketed up to $500.
With the most recent death, Panama City Beach is only one beach drowning away from recording the same number of drownings in 2026 as it did in 2025. The city’s 2025 drownings were on May 17 near Beach Access, June 14 near Beach Access 52 and July 27 near Beach Access 42.
For more information on local beach conditions and to sign up for daily text alerts, text “PCBFLAGS” to 888777.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Did you miss this?: PCB records second beach drowning of 2026
Reporting by Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald | USA TODAY Network
