JENSEN BEACH, Fla.-- Before heading into the water be aware of the risk of rip currents. The water can be especially unpredictable post Hurricane Dorian.
The network below the surface is essentially completely redesigned, so the path the water takes back to the ocean changes too.
"What generates the rip current is the way the sandbars have reformed offshore because a rip current is when the water finds the easiest path back out," said Martin County Coastal Engineer Kathy Fitzpatrick. "The water is all petty murky now so it’s hard to see them, when the water is clear, you can see that rip."
The sandbars are already breaking down from the waves, bringing some of that sand back to shore. If the weather remains calm, that cycle should continue.
The National Weather Service shows you how to spot a rip currentand avoid getting caught in one.
Rip current post Dorian: it’s strong and here’s a great example of a mini one forming.
— Andrew Lofholm (@AndrewLofholm) September 4, 2019
The water tries to find the quickest way out to sea, which creates its own path. With the sand moved around so much, it’s harder to see. @WPTV pic.twitter.com/5slb5CYt6Q