Moderate risk of rip currents today along Eastern Shore

Lifeguards referred to those kind of intense rescues as a blitz.

A Southern swell and warm El Nino waters create unsafe swimming conditions and have kept lifeguards busy over the past few days.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County lifeguards say they rescued swimmers and surfers caught in rip currents up and down the coast Tuesday and similar conditions are continuing. Los Angeles County Fire Dept.

There were 41 ocean rescues in Venice, including 18 in a single incident south of the pier that required two lifeguard boats to bring swimmers to calmer waters. “Our lifeguards are very active on the beach”, said Amy Bassett, assistant director of the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism.

Rip currents happen when the waves push a whole bunch of water onto shore and, as the water builds up, it suddenly rushes back out.

“This year, we’re on track to beat that record”, Haskett said.

Area lifeguards are closely monitoring local waters and urging beachgoers to take safety precautions after strong rip currents led to a dramatic surge in ocean rescues this week.

“They get farther and farther out and then they realize they’re in trouble and wondering how they’re going to get out”, she said.

The risk of rip currents today is moderate along the Eastern Shore, but low along Virginia Beach and northeastern North Carolina.

Rip currents account for roughly 80% of all rescues made by lifeguards, according to the L.A. County Fire Department, though many swimmers are unaware of the serious hazard they pose.

There were 34 ocean rescues on Santa Monica beaches, which county lifeguard spokesman Kenichi Haskett said is more than double the number of rescues on a typical summer day. “It raises our counts of rescues”.