VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Walk along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and you’ll hear the loud waves crashing.
On Friday afternoon, beach-goers like Kaitlyn O’Hara stayed out of the water.
“It's pretty rough today, a lot of waves,” said O’Hara.
Red flags whipped back and forth all day long. They warned of dangerous water conditions and a high risk of rip currents.
Tom Gill, President of the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service said they anticipate red flags will be up all weekend.
“The number one danger at the beach is rip currents,” said Gill.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year. Rip currents kill about 100 people every year.
Data from the National Weather Service shows in 2019, rip currents caused more deaths than lightning, heat, and hurricanes.
Gill said his team of lifeguards is ready to keep people safe this summer.
“We’re one week away from the main summer season starting with Memorial [Day] weekend. Things are gonna be packed, and it’s time."
This year, his team is using a new model to detect rip currents. NOAA recently rolled out a new model that shows the threat of rip currents in real-time. The interactive map warns of where and when the fast-moving water can carry you away from the shore.
“It’s a great resource,” said Gill.
The new model can detect rip currents up to six days in advance.
“It’s a perfect time to have this ready to go so that we can better protect people when they come out here,” said Gill.
After the long pandemic, Gill is anticipating one of the busiest summers at the beach, with people eager to get out and enjoy a trip to the beach once again.