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Posted by Maureen K. Fleury Aug 7, 2008 |
In researching my latest article How to Survive a Rip Current, I came across a notification page at the National Ocean Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) web site.
There are standard daily forecasts for the following locations:
Atlantic
Boston, MA Miami, FL Melbourne, FL Jacksonville, FL Charleston, SC Wilmington, NC Morehead City/Newport, NC Upton, (NYC) NY Wakefield (Norfolk), VA Philadelphia/New Jersey
GulfCoast Tallahassee, FL Tampa, FL Mobile, AL Brownsville, TX
PacificCoast Los Angeles, CA San Diego, CA Honolulu, HI Guam
Rip Current Outlooks Surf Zone Forecasts use the following, three-tiered set of qualifiers:
- Low Risk of rip currents. Wind and/or wave conditions are not expected to support the development of rip currents; however, rip currents can sometimes occur, especially in the vicinity of groins, jetties, and piers. Know how to swim and heed the advice of lifeguards.
- Moderate Risk of rip currents. Wind and/or wave conditions support stronger or more frequent rip currents. Only experienced surf swimmers should enter the water.
- High Risk of rip currents. Wind and/or wave conditions support dangerous rip currents. Rip currents are life-threatening to anyone entering the surf.
For people who do not live near the ocean, rip currents are things that are reported in the news when someone drowns.
Many people don’t even know what they are. Let me tell you this, they can be dangerous and read my article to find out how they form and what to do if caught in one.
