Memorial Day Beach Plans? Know Your Rip Current Risk

(KMDL-FM) This weekend marks the unofficial beginning of summer across Louisiana. High Schools and colleges have had commencement ceremonies, and underclassmen have finished their finals, and we are off to the beaches. For a lot of folks in Louisiana, that means a trip east to the beaches of Lower Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

Of course, there are beaches that are a lot closer to home. Many of you are familiar with Holly Beach along Louisiana's Gulf Coast. And if you go just a few hours to the west, you can find some pretty good Gulf-front property to set up your beach chair on Galveston Island and the upper Texas coast.

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One of the dangers of any beach adventure is what's in the water. Sometimes jellyfish and other exotic and toxic marine life can keep you on the sand instead of the surf. Other times, it's the surf itself that makes going in the water a bad idea. Often, when the surf conditions are bad, there are frequent rip currents reported.

Rip currents can be very deadly for even strong swimmers, so for the occasional beachgoer, a strong rip current can put you in a precarious pickle with your life on the line. And the best way to avoid getting trapped in a rip current is to know where they are likely to occur.

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What is the Rip Current Forecast for Gulf Coast Beaches This Weekend?

Here is your rip current forecast for the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend. First, let's look at the beaches of Alabama and Florida. The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Mobile/Pensacola has issued this graphic.

That means surf conditions should be conducive for swimmers for much of the holiday weekend. Now, let's look a little closer to home. The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lake Charles does not issue a rip current graphic, but they do offer a forecast to help keep you safe when it's necessary.

And the good news this Memorial Day Weekend is that it appears a rip current advisory is not needed for Louisiana's beaches. That doesn't mean there won't be strong currents that you should be cognizant of; it just means that there doesn't appear to be the potential for stronger currents that pose a serious risk to swimmers.

What are the Best Lazy Rivers in Louisiana?

To the west of Louisiana, along the beaches of Texas, the rip current outlook appears to be very similar. There were no official rip current advisories posted on the Houston/Galveston National Weather Service site, but as in Louisiana, rip currents are possible even when there are no advisories posted. However, if you want the very latest on Galveston Beach conditions, you can find that here.

Now, if you want to avoid the stinging creatures and the sand in places you don't like to talk about, you can always opt for a pool or a lazy river. We know about those, too.