VIRGINIA BEACH — As Hurricane Florence makes its way up the eastern seaboard, the National Weather Service warns that coastal communities such as Virginia Beach are experiencing dangerous rip currents.
“Beaches up and down the Atlantic coast are seeing dangerous rip currents WELL AWAY from the storm – in areas where the weather is otherwise beach-friendly,” a National Weather Service tweet stated.
A color-coded interactive map shows Virginia Beach area beaches at high risk for rip currents, indicated by red line running as far north as Maryland. Area surf is reported at around 10 feet.
“The surf is dangerous for all levels of swimmers,” the website states.
Here are some helpful rip current safety tips from the National Weather Service:
- Only swim when lifeguards are available. The chance of drowning with a lifeguard present are around 1 in 18 million.
- Check water conditions and never assume a calm surf is safe.
- Learn how to spot a rip current through Break the Grip of the Rip free online training.
For educational videos rip current safety educational videos, click here.
To keep tabs on Hurricane Florence, click here.
