CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — With Memorial Day Weekend just around the corner and summer already in the air, beach season is officially kicking off here in Corpus Christi.
It’s important to watch for rip currents, one of the leading weather related dangers at the coast.
Rip currents form when water from breaking waves funnels back out to sea through narrow channels often near piers, jetties, or sandbars.
Along the Coastal Bend, our flat beaches and frequent southeast winds can help create strong, long-lasting rip currents, especially after cold fronts or swells in the Gulf.
They can move at speeds of up to 5 miles per hour faster than an Olympic swimmer pulling even experienced swimmers away from shore.
If you’re caught in one, don’t panic and do not try to swim against the current. Swim parallel to the shore to escape the current, then angle back in.
Check the local rip current risk forecast from the National Weather Service and always swim near a lifeguard. A safe day at the beach starts with awareness!
