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Beach officials warn of dangerous rip currents on Memorial Day

Orlando area to warm into upper 80s

ORLANDO, FlaStrong rip currents and high seas are on tap for Memorial Day at many Central Florida beaches.

Lifeguards in Volusia County said they had to pull more than 60 people from the water over Sunday only because of rip currents.

Expect only slight rain chances for the next couple of days in the Orlando area, with highs in the upper 80s.

Rain chances will increase heading into the end of the week.

Humidity levels will also start to rise.

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Boating conditions, as well as swimming conditions along the beaches, will be dangerous for the Memorial Day holiday.

WHAT TO DO IN A RIP CURRENT

If you do find yourself caught in a rip current, the first step is to not panic and try to swim against the current. Turn on your back and float for a few seconds and try and alert people on the beach.

Next, start swimming parallel to the coastline until you begin to feel the pull relax.

From there, start swimming back to shore at an angle. Many panicked swimmers try swimming straight back to shore. That causes them to swim against the current, which increases their risk of drowning due to fatigue.

If you get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore until you feel the pull weaken.

TRACKING THE TROPICS

We are currently not watching anything in the tropics for the next seven days. Hurricane season begins Thursday.


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