High Rip Current Risk for NE Florida and SE Georgia Beaches

Beachgoers along Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia are under a High Rip Current Risk through Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, which issued a coastal hazard message covering beaches in Nassau, Duval, Flagler, and St. Johns counties in Florida, as well as Glynn and Camden counties in Georgia.

In its advisory, the NWS said, “HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING.”

A separate surf zone forecast reiterated that the high-risk designation remains in effect until 10 p.m. ET, listing the affected beach communities from Fernandina Beach and Jacksonville Beach to St. Augustine-area shores, plus the Brunswick–St. Simons’ coastline in Georgia.

Forecasters noted that the danger is not solely a function of wave height. Even with surf around 1 foot or less in parts of the forecast, the NWS defined the “high” category as one where life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone—a key point that can be underappreciated by visitors who equate calmer-looking water with safer conditions.

The Jacksonville NWS office underscored the message in plain terms on its public hazards page: “A high rip current risk is in effect today for the local beaches, the safest place to be is on dry land!”

Officials continue to urge swimmers to stay near staffed areas where available, heed local flag systems, and avoid entering the water near jetties and piers—common rip-current hot spots. For those caught in a rip current, standard guidance remains to remain calm, float, and swim parallel to shore until free of the current before returning to the beach.