High rip current risk continues on Saturday as offshore Tropical Storm Odette heads north
A high risk of rip currents is forecast from Buxton to Duck on Saturday, as offshore Tropical Storm Odette heads north and away from the Mid-Atlantic coastline, per a recent update from the National Weather Service.
A moderate risk of rip currents is also in place for southern Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island.
A high risk indicates that ocean swimming is not recommended, and all swimmers should stay out of the water, while a moderate risk means that only experienced surf swimmers who know how to escape a rip current should enter the ocean.
An offshore low pressure system that has been churning off the Carolina coast for most of the past week developed into Tropical Storm Odette on late Friday afternoon. As of 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, the center of Tropical Storm Odette was located about 235 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the storm was moving toward the northeast near 17 mph (28 km/h).
A turn toward the east-northeast at a faster forward speed is expected by this evening. Maximum sustained winds are currently near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts.
The public should check surf and swimming conditions before heading to the beach, and the daily beach forecast at www.weather.gov/beach/mhx includes rip current risk levels, and information about other hazards along the beach. In addition, visitors are encouraged to sign up for text alerts from Dare County, ocean rescue agencies, and the National Weather Service by texting “OBXBeachConditions” to 77295.
For more information on the local forecast, visit www.weather.gov/mhx for general weather information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport / Morehead City’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.
