Warnings Go Up On Area Beaches

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Bay area residents and visitors with plans to hit the beach over the next day or so will want to pay attention to lifeguard warnings. The National Weather Service in Ruskin has issued a rip current warning for the coastal areas of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties.

According to forecasters, the risk of rip currents developing on Thursday and into the morning hours Friday is high. Rip currents that do develop are anticipated to be “strong and dangerous,” the agency wrote in a Thursday morning statement.

Rip currents are channels of water that flow rapidly away from shore. They most often occur at low spots or breaks in sandbars and in the area of structures like groins, jetties and piers. Considering the risk level, the service’s forecasters are urging beachgoers to pay attention to lifeguard advice and to keep a look out for flags and warning signs.

“If you become caught in a rip current, yell for help,” the agency advises. “Remain calm. Do not exhaust yourself and stay afloat while waiting for help.”

Those who find themselves forced to swim out of a rip current are instructed to swim parallel to the shore and then back towards it when possible.

“Do not attempt to swim directly against a rip current as you will tire quickly,” the service warned.

Beachgoers aren’t the only ones being asked to take care over the next day or so. Landlubbers may encounter patchy fog on local roads again Thursday night and Friday morning, the service warned. Motorists are asked to drive slow when they encounter fog banks and to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles on the road.

Fog and rip current warnings aside, the weather service expects Thursday and Friday to both shape up to be pretty nice days. Rain chances on Thursday move out of the picture heading into the afternoon hours when the high in the region should hit the upper 70s to low 80s. Fog could set in during the evening hours when the low is expected to fall into the lower 60s. Friday is anticipated to kick off with fog in some areas, but a mostly sunny day with a high in the low 80s is expected once it burns off.

For an extended forecast in your neighborhood, visit your local Patch’s homepage.

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