Beach Conditions Advisory

Please be advised that the U.S. National Weather Service has issued a High Surf Advisory and High Rip Current Risk for our area. The advisory remains in effect until Monday morning.

Rip currents are very powerful and can pull even strong swimmers away from the shore. The Highland Beach Police Department urges beachgoers to exercise caution and avoid swimming during these rough conditions.

To stay safe if you get caught in a rip current, follow these tips:

• Stay calm and do not panic. Rip currents pull you away from the shore, they don’t pull you under the water.
• Your natural instinct may be to try to swim back to shore…but DO NOT swim against the current. Trying to swim against a rip current will only exhaust your energy; energy you need to survive and escape the rip current.
• The best way to survive a rip current is to first relax and float. If you feel you can safely swim, you may be able to escape by swimming out of the current in a direction following the shoreline, or toward breaking waves, then at an angle towards the beach.

If at any time you feel you will be unable to reach shore, do whatever you can to draw attention to yourself. Face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help. Once again, the Highland Beach Police Department urges all residents to avoid swimming during this period.