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A rip current (or just rip) is a specific type of water current that can occur near beaches where waves break. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water that moves directly away from the shore by cutting through the lines of breaking waves, like a river flowing out to sea.
Here are some things to know about rip currents: What is a rip current? Rip currents are narrow columns of water flowing rapidly away from the beach, like a swift stream within the ocean. They don't pull swimmers under water, but can carry them out a fair distance from shore. Low spots along the beach, or areas near jetties or piers, are often ...
Rip currents: These are narrow channels of fast-moving water that flow away from shore. Undertow: This is the general return flow of water towards the ocean floor after a wave breaks.
Rip currents are one of the most dangerous beach hazards, killing roughly 100 Americans per year. Here's how to identify them and stay safe over the July 4 holiday.
A rip current is a fast-flowing channel of water, moving from close to the shoreline and into the ocean past the breaking waves, according to the National Weather Service.
A rip current statement is a warning statement issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when there is a high threat of rip currents due to weather and ocean conditions. [ 1 ] The statement usually contains some detail about when and roughly where the rip currents are most likely to be forming.
One of those dangers is rip currents. According to the National Weather Service, rip currents are the third leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. since 2013 — surpassing both ...
In contrast to undertow, rip currents are responsible for the great majority of drownings close to beaches. When a swimmer enters a rip current, it starts to carry them offshore. The swimmer can exit the rip current by swimming at right angles to the flow, parallel to the shore, or by simply treading water or floating until the rip releases them.