Page 44 - Rip Current News Today

On shore wind coming from a tropical storm or hurricane. the wind blows the water over the tops of sandbars that are unseen just offshore. the water piles up here along the shore and it has to find a way out. that way out is a rip current. that rip current can happen anywhere along an east coast or west coast beach for that matter, even across the gulf of mexico. here are the sandbars. the water comes across the sandbars and feeds into the area where you are swimming, right through here. as a sa...

Hunters is what determines har thur -- arthur is a hurricane. it is looking better organized even on the tropical satellite image. some of the outer rain bands reaching parts of south carolina. we have tropical storm warnings in effect along coastal areas of south carolina and hurricane warnings have been extended across parts of north carolina. we have hurricane warnings in effect from surf if i north carolina up into the north carolina virginia border. all of this area is looking at the hurric...

If youre going to be anywhere from the outer banks north up to massachusetts up to maine, one of the big concerns are going to be rip currents. that is even after arthur has passed and what is a rip current? we always hear about these. let me sort of show you an animation here. as you look at the sand in this picture, you see what looks like a little valley of sand. that is where the water is coming in and rushing out. youre swimming there and trying to fight against what you cant see. a current...

That could be a very deadly threat. we know back in 2008 with hurricane bertha, that stayed about 1,000 miles off the jersey shore yet three people died in the rip currents from that particular storm. for those who may be visiting from out of town, arent familiar with how that works, how long are the rip currents a real threat? >> from what were hearing from the national hurricane center and our national weather service offices in south carolina is, were expecting the rip current threat to be on...

Area. at 6:00 tonight is when hurricane arthur will make the grand appearance here in wrightsville beach, north carolina. the sea continues to get angrier and angrier and the lifeguards are not in their stands and theyre in their cars patrolling up and down the the ocean front here just making sure the people stay out of that ocean. basically, whats happening right now you have this strong winds and youve got the heavy rain and youve got an amazingly rip current. in the distance, those dangerous...

Danger at this point already, and the storm is only getting stronger. the water will pile up. it will move on shore. it will go over the sand bars and then rush out into the ocean and when that happens, you always have the chance that that water can break through and you wash yourself away or get washed away from this sandbar and from the shore. you are way out here trying to swim back to shore and it is a very difficult swim. you try to swim along the current and back. ive been caught in a rip ...

Breezy, but no rain to deal with. here is the uncertainty with the forecast model. a lot track it over eastern north carolina and avoid areas of new england. thomas, again, the worst effects, if we going to see the pictures, get damage from waves and wind, it will come about 10:00 p.m. thursday from wilmington to cape hatteras. >> from ocean city, maryland to connecticut, they are off. what are the chances of that changing? >> not a lot. the cold front gives severe storms today and tomorrow. it ...

More bands. the biggest threat with this storm will be the rip currents. all the way up the east coast as the wind pushes waves on shore, the water is going to pile up at the beach and its going to run away from the beach and you dont want to be in that water when it runs away. day by day, thursday, tomorrow afternoon 2:00 and thursday afternoon we start to move this thing up. so wednesday, thursday, and then finally into friday, right through and that right there is a 90 per hour mile storm. if...

Possibility this could change. >> reporter: a coastal state of emergency in the tar heels state and voluntary evacuations ordered in at least one county. with the with sun still shining, arthurs threat isnt enough to make visitors staying at the waters edge uneasy just yet. >> so thats what we are expecting, great weather. >> despite the forecast. >> you know, they can be wrong. >> reporter: so you hear a little bit of optimism along the coast. the governor of north carolina put it best and its ...

Its in atlanta, canada. people are going to get impatient and want to get to their beach vacation. im saying dont do it you. cant get in the water anyway. the tidal current, the riptides here will take you away at 30 to 45 miles per hour. i know they say swim away from them. i was caught in one rip current. i tell you what, its tough. you dont think about that. all you want to do is get back to shore. the water comes over the sandbars, comes right to where you are. youre playing in this water. a...