As Hurricane Lee moved north through the Atlantic, National Hurricane Center director Mike Brennan said his top message for people on the East coast was: watch out for rip currents. They usually receive little attention but are the third leading cause of weather fatalities. Lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year, but it is estimated that 100 people are still killed by rip currents annually. Over the last ten years, rip currents have killed more people than tornadoes or hurricanes. This year has already been particularly bad with 76 deaths reported through August.

Meteorologist Jase Bernhardt at Hofstra University said Hurricane Lee grew larger. "When it's a large powerful hurricane like Lee, it's going to kick up a lot of waves," he says. "And when you have strong, heavy surf, that creates a prime avenue for rip currents to form along the coastal facing beaches." Rip currents form when heavy surf piles up water near the shoreline. Bernhardt says the water then accelerates and rushes downhill, pulling anything caught in it, including swimmers out to sea. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, while the terms are often confused, rip currents are different than rip tides. A rip tide is a specific type of current associated with the swift movement of tidal water through inlets and the mouths of estuaries, embankments, and harbors.

Most beachgoers worry more about sharks and the risk of a shark attack than they do about rip currents, yet the latter kill far more people every year. Experts say the problem is that most people don't know anything about rip currents, the risk they pose, and how many people die because of them each year.

WHAT TO DO IF CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT

Rip currents move quickly, as fast as 5 miles per hour. They don't pull you under. Paul says if you're caught in one, you should swim parallel to the shore. But the most important thing is to stay calm. "If all you can do is float, then just float on your back," he says. "Throw an arm up and start waving. Let the current take you until it lets go.” The National Weather Service now issues rip current forecasts for coastal communities. Unlike fatalities in hurricanes, tornadoes and other weather events, experts say deaths from rip currents should be almost entirely preventable.

To stay safe, follow the advice of lifeguards, beach patrol flags and signs. If you get caught in a rip current, don't panic. Yell for help and try to stay calm and afloat while waiting for assistance. If caught in a rip current, don't fight it! Swim parallel to the shore and swim back to land at an angle.

CONTACT YOUR ATTORNEY

People enjoy Georgia’s spectacular beaches well into the fall. Since the hurricane season is still underway—and it has been an extremely active and dangerous season—the danger posed by rip currents is ongoing. If you or someone you know got caught in a rip current and you believe that warnings were inadequate, contact Dave Thomas at The Thomas Law Firm for a free evaluation of your legal rights.