As Hurricane Lee generates frighteningly in the huge expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, it is not only the areas directly in its path that must be on guard.
Hundreds of miles away, this powerful storm is generating a hazardous threat that is significantly impacting the East Coast of the United States: rip currents and high surf.
Hurricane Lee’s Distant Danger: Rip Currents Threaten East Coast Beaches
Rip currents, which are narrow, fast-moving channels of water that flow away from the shore, pose a concealed hazard to beachgoers, and Hurricane Lee’s influence on the East Coast has made them a cause for concern.
The National Weather Service has warned about hazardous rip currents extending from Florida’s Atlantic beaches to New England.
The threat is accurate, and those who live near or plan to visit Atlantic beaches must observe these warnings, especially when red flags are flying.
When strong gusts pass over the ocean’s surface, waves are produced. In the case of a hurricane, these winds cover vast expanses of the sea and create significant waves that propagate away from the storm, making what we call swells.
For Hurricane Lee, located in the western Atlantic Ocean, these waves proceed toward the east-facing beaches along the East Coast.
When they reach the shore, these swells can generate rip currents that can be deceptively powerful and narrow, posing a grave threat to swimmers and beachgoers.
Not to be underestimated are rip currents. In the United States, they have been responsible for an annual average of 71 fatalities over the past decade.
According to the National Weather Service, tens of thousands of rip current rescues occur annually on US coastlines.
It serves as a reminder that even when a hurricane or tropical cyclone appears far away, its effects can still be felt along the coastlines.
Even when tracking offshore, hurricanes have produced lethal rip currents in recent history, as demonstrated by several somber examples.
In the western Atlantic, rip currents were the cause of at least eight fatalities earlier this month, caused by swells generated by Idalia and Franklin.
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Hurricanes Larry, Teddy, and Paulette Leave a Trail of Tragedy in 2021 and 2020
In 2021, Hurricane Larry passed east of Bermuda but was still responsible for five rip current-related fatalities in the United States, including Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia.
The 2020 hurricanes Teddy and Paulette tracked near Bermuda but contributed to three rip current fatalities on the East Coast and two in Puerto Rico.
2019’s Hurricane Lorenzo was likely one of the most distant yet influential examples. This Category 5 hurricane was nearly 2,000 miles from North Carolina’s Outer Banks, but its powerful waves and rip currents caused eight fatalities along the East Coast, including a tragic incident involving teenagers at New York’s Rockaway Beach.
Hurricanes may appear distant, but their far-reaching effects can be fatal. As Hurricane Lee’s waves churn the waters along the East Coast, it serves as a reminder that coastal safety must always be a top priority when these hurricanes are in the area.
Rip currents may be invisible, but their threat is genuine.
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