- NCDEQ launches Hurricane Helene recovery grants program
- Why no hurricanes made landfall in the US in 2025
- Florence to begin interviewing police chief finalists in January
- A West Texas county wants to better prepare for floods. Paying for it will be tricky.
- They couldn’t save their daughters’ lives in the July 4 floods. Now they’re dealing with the grief and the guilt.
Hurricane Ernesto could create dangerous rip currents at Carolina beaches
Swells from Ernesto will reach our coast bringing rip currents and beach erosion.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hurricane Ernesto will reach the island of Bermuda this weekend. Even though we’re hundreds of miles away in the Carolinas, impacts are still happening along the coast.
From Savannah, Georgia, to the Outer Banks, there is a high rip current risk through Monday. Residents and visitors can also expect elevated wave heights and beach erosion.
According to the National Weather Service, rip currents are strong, narrow channels of water that extend from close to the shoreline to outside of the surf zone. They are found on almost any beach with breaking waves and act as “rivers of the sea,” moving sand, marine organisms and other material offshore.
The best way to stay safe from a rip current is to swim at a lifeguard-monitored beach or avoid the water when rip currents are present. However, if you do get caught in one, here are some safety tips to know:
If you can float, you might even just relax and “go with the flow.” Rip currents do not usually go out very far so the rip current can carry you to a calmer area.
Overall, the key is to not panic, swim toward the breaking waves (parallel to the shore), or float until you’re away from danger.