What does a rip current look like? How to spot one before you’re swept away

Hurricane Erin is expected to bring life-threatening rip currents and high surf to New York and New Jersey shores for the rest of the week, and authorities are advising people to stay out of the water even when lifeguards are present.

Rip currents are powerful water streams that flow from near the shore, where swimmers enter the water, out toward the open ocean. They form when a lot of water rushes toward shore from breaking waves.

The National Hurricane Center says that over the last decade, up to 15% of U.S. fatalities from tropical storms and hurricanes were caused by rip currents — so hurricanes can be deadly, even when they’re very far away.

Much safety effort focuses on what to do if you get caught in a rip current. But is it possible to spot one before that happens? As it turns out, the answer is yes.

How can I spot a rip current?

A rip current can drag you out far into the ocean, even if you get caught while standing close to shore. They commonly form around breaks in sandbars and near structures, like jetties and piers. Most move at speeds of 1 to 2 feet per second but rip currents have been recorded as fast as 8 feet per second. Learn more.

Here’s what some look like, according to NHC:

Rip Current in the darker area between sandbars (Photo: NOAA)

Rip current on left side of jetty structure (Photo: Stevens Institute of Technology – New Jersey)

Strong rip current forming between sandbars (Photo: Dr. Brander, Marina Beach, CA)

What should I do in a rip current?