Rip current alert: Strong winds, rough surf expected along Space Coast for next few days

J.D. Gallop, Florida Today

Space Coast residents can expect some strong tropical breezes, choppy surf and scattered showers as fall-like weather continues to settle over the state.

Along with that forecast comes a call for caution: The strong winds and surf — fed by strong offshore winds and Hurricane Tammy churning out in the Atlantic — bring with them a high rip current risk for much of the coastline through the weekend.

Matthew and Keelyn Spruce, on vacation from Arizona, check out the rough surf in Cocoa Beach. With the strong winds, not a great day at the beach. Rip current warnings are out along the coast.
Matthew and Keelyn Spruce, on vacation from Arizona, check out the rough surf in Cocoa Beach. With the strong winds, not a great day at the beach. Rip current warnings are out along the coast.

Rip currents, fast-moving channels of water that lash against the beach, remain dangerous for swimmers, who can be pulled out to sea unexpectedly.

Post-Tropical Cyclone Tammy 5 a.m. Oct. 26, 2023.
Post-Tropical Cyclone Tammy 5 a.m. Oct. 26, 2023.

"The high risk is something we fully expect to go into Friday, maybe go into two or three days," said Jared Heil, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

"We're seeing persistent easterly winds and also, we do have a swell coming from Tammy that will arrive Friday night."

Brevard County Ocean Rescue lifeguards are flying the red flags warning of rip currents along the coast, with high winds and rough seas creating dangerous conditions through the weekend.
Brevard County Ocean Rescue lifeguards are flying the red flags warning of rip currents along the coast, with high winds and rough seas creating dangerous conditions through the weekend.

The strong rip currents mean Brevard residents and visitors alike will need to monitor conditions and stay near a lifeguard station if visiting the shoreline over the next few days. The last year has seen at least eight people drown on Brevard beaches, with hundreds of other rescues taking place in the rough surf, Ocean Rescue officials reported.

More: Large swells, rough surf on the way to Brevard beaches as Hurricane Lee heads north

A small craft advisory for boaters also remains in effect through 4 p.m. Friday for boaters on the Atlantic. Residents can also expect frequent, strong gusts of up to 20 to 25 mph, weather officials reported. There will be a 20% chance of rain for Brevard, with mostly sunny skies leading into the weekend, according to the weather service.

Tammy has transitioned into a meandering post-tropical hurricane, with winds falling to 85 mph as it stirs up the waters out in the northern Atlantic, weather officials say.

J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. X/Twitter: @JDGallop.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Strong winds, rough surf expected along Space Coast for next few days

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