Stretching across approximately 1,350 miles, the Atlantic coast of Florida starts in the Panhandle and its border with Alabama and goes all the way to the state’s southern tip that is home to Everglades National Park.
Known for particularly scenic sunsets, Florida’s east coast is also prone to a specific set of natural phenomena such as hurricanes, storms and droughts and, increasingly, rip currents.
The latter is a strong flow of swirling and fast-moving water that can pose a particular danger for swimmers who are far from shore. As of May 2, the National Weather Service (NWS) has a high-risk warning for the stretch of coast between Pensacola and south of Tallahassee as well as a no-surf zone advisory for the northern counties going down to Citrus County.
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The latest NWS warning for ‘all that visit the beach’
“Remember that rip current awareness is something we should all practice BEFORE our feet hit the sand!” the NWS website wrote to mark Rip Current Awareness Week between April 27 and May 3. “This includes all residents that visit the beach, not just those that live along the coast.”
Tourists who come to that part of Florida and plan on spending time in the water are also reminded to practice water safety and stay aware of current conditions before entering the water.
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On April 24, an army veteran vacationing at Fernandina Beach north of Jacksonville drowned when rushing into a current to rescue his six-year-old son. A week earlier, a 17-year-old boy similarly drowned after being caught up in a rip current at Lake Worth Beach in Palm Beach County.
Government data shows that 66 people were killed by rip currents in 2024, while 19 of those deaths occurred in Florida.
Florida’s East Coast is known for particularly scenic sunsets but also sees a range of natural disasters.
Image source: Shutterstock
‘Great weather does not always mean it’s safe to swim’
“Don’t assume,” the NWS writes in a further warning. “Great weather for the beach does not always mean it’s safe to swim or even play in the shallows. Rip currents often form on calm, sunny days.”
More on travel:
United Airlines places big bet on new flights to trendy destinationGovernment issues new travel advisory on popular beach destinationAnother country just issued a new visa requirement for visitors
Government officials have also been warning about cliff safety after the bodies of a man and woman were located at the bottom of an overpass at Utah’s Bryce Canyon on April 29.
While an investigation is currently ongoing, the local sheriff’s office said that the couple tumbled by approximately 380 feet after going past the railing at the Inspiration Point overpass. Once park authorities discovered the fatal accident, the bodies were lifted out of the canyon by helicopter.
Between 2007 and 2024, the NPS reported 4,213 deaths at national parks across the U.S. If vehicle accidents on roads going through the parks are taken aside, drownings are the single most common cause of death, while cliff falls are a close second, particularly in parks with many canyons and rock formations.
“Falls from cliffs on trails have resulted in death,” the National Park Service writes on its warning page for Zion National Park. “Loose sand or pebbles on stone are very slippery. Be careful when using cameras or binoculars. Never throw or roll rocks. There may be hikers below you.”
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