Risky Rip Currents Expected All Week Long
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) – South Florida beachgoers should beware of dangerous rip currents because they're expected all week long along the Atlantic Coast.
The powerful rip currents, according to Florida's Division of Emergency Management, span along the coast from Volusia through Miami-Dade counties.
A rip current is a narrow powerful current which runs perpendicular to the beach, out into the ocean. These currents may extend 200 to 2,500 feet lengthwise, but they are typically less than 30 feet wide. Rip currents can often move at more than 5 miles per hour or faster.
Ocean swells, combined with spring tides, are causing these hazardous rip currents.
Due to the rough condition, dozens of people were pulled from rough waters along South Florida's coastline over the weekend.
One swimmer in Palm Beach County was hospitalized in critical condition.
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