Swimmer Missing on Folly Beach

Rescue workers are searching for a missing swimmer on Folly Beach today, as rough waters white-capped most of the coast from South Carolina to north Florida, according to media reports.

Memorial Day weekend brought out throngs of swimmers to local beaches, but lifeguards had barred swimmers from water deeper than their knees all day, according to WCIV-TV. The red flag, indicating dangerous conditions, was up all of Sunday.

All swimmers were barred from the water around 1 p.m., the same time lifeguards began searching for a swimmer who went missing near the Folly Beach pier, WCBD-TV reported.

The swimmer reportedly went beyond the breakers and did not return. Folly Beach rescue workers, lifeguards and the U.S. Coast Guard launched a search for the person, the Post and Courier reported.

The missing man is described as white and middle-aged, the newspaper reports. Meteorologists had been warning about the increased potential for rip currents for several days as the tropical storm — upgraded Sunday from a subtropical storm — moved toward the coast.

Beryl is expected to make landfall in Jacksonville Sunday evening. Bridges were closed in Jacksonville as the storm lingered about 25 miles off the coast, the Florida Times-Union reports. Beryl will pass over Charleston Tuesday evening.