BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — Be careful if you’re heading to the beach today. While the weather is simply gorgeous, the strong winds are making things a bit dicey on the open water. We’re expecting a high of 76 today, but winds are gusting to 25 mph.
From the National Weather Service:
..HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS EAST COAST BEACHES... ...HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS ATLANTIC WATERS THIS WEEK... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT RIP CURRENTS: A NORTHEAST TO EAST WIND 20 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL LEAD TO A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES OF PALM BEACH, BROWARD, AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTIES. WAVES: SEAS 7 TO 8 FEET IN THE GULF STREAM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE EASTERLY WINDS BEGIN TO WEAKEN FRIDAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND. HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS THOUGH WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEK AND STRONG AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL OCCUR AT THE ATLANTIC BEACHES OF SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH THE WORK WEEK.
.HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK ATLANTIC BEACHES IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI HAS ISSUED A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK...WHICH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS JETTIES AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS. IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.
