PlainHazard

Rip Current

NOAA Storm Events type · 1,919 records since 1996 · 31 states and territories

The National Weather Service defines rip current as: "A narrow channel of water that flows away from the beach, through the surf zone and dissipates beyond the breaking waves." NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,919 rip current records from 1996 through June 30, 2026, the most in Florida (677), with 1,420 deaths recorded.

How the National Weather Service files rip current

A narrow channel of water that flows away from the beach, through the surf zone and dissipates beyond the breaking waves. Rip currents develop in the waters and bays of the ocean, Great Lakes and other lakes with assigned specific Marine Forecast Zones), or any location that experiences breaking waves.
National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605, Storm Data Preparation (July 26, 2021), Appendix A, entry 40

Source: National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605. Read the instruction (PDF).

Rip Current, 1996 to 2026

Records per year (2026 to June 30, 2026).

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $10 million
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • $10 billion or more, or 1,000 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
1,9191996 to June 30, 2026
Deaths
1,4201,029 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$279Kas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Counties with a record
202of 3,266

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026. Search the record at NCEI.

Where do rip current records happen?

States

  1. Florida 677
  2. North Carolina 160
  3. Puerto Rico 151
  4. New Jersey 135
  5. California 116
  6. South Carolina 84
  7. Texas 74
  8. Guam 71
  9. Georgia 64
  10. Alabama 58
  11. New York 52
  12. Michigan 45
  13. American Samoa 40
  14. Delaware 31
  15. Indiana 25

Counties

  1. Palm Beach County, FL 98
  2. New Hanover County, NC 78
  3. Guam, GU 71
  4. Volusia County, FL 65
  5. Broward County, FL 64
  6. Bay County, FL 63
  7. Chatham County, GA 60
  8. Escambia County, FL 52
  9. Baldwin County, AL 48
  10. Miami-Dade County, FL 47

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers).

When do rip current records happen?

The busiest month is July.

The values, month by month

Jan 51 · Feb 49 · Mar 116 · Apr 148 · May 257 · Jun 280 · Jul 343 · Aug 271 · Sep 199 · Oct 106 · Nov 51 · Dec 48 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

The deadliest rip current records

The rip current records with the most deaths
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2003-06-08 Rip CurrentInlet Beach, Walton County, FL At least 28 people were rescued from rough surf off the Walton County beaches. Six persons drowned. Reported by the Walton County EMA. 6 0 –
2020-07-30 Rip CurrentBerrien County, MI · forecast zone Berrien Drownings occurred at 3 beaches along the Berrien County shoreline during the evening hours of July 30th. At the New Buffalo City Beach, a 24-year-old male from Villa Ridge, Missouri went missing near the U.S. Corp of Engineers breakwall, while doing contract work in the area, police said. He was standing in shallow ... 3 5 –
2026-05-10 Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more, PR · forecast zone North Central Three males (aged 49-58 years) were swept away by rip currents and drowned near Cueva del Indio Beach in Barrio Islote, Arecibo. 3 3 –
2016-07-09 Rip CurrentLake County, IN · forecast zone Lake Two northwest Indiana men drowned in Lake Michigan in the Miller Beach community of Gary, IN during the Gary Air Show. Five people were pulled from the water, two of whom died. 3 3 –
2013-07-03 Rip CurrentBrunswick County, NC · forecast zone Coastal Brunswick Numerous rip current rescues occurred over much of the beaches of Brunswick county. There were 3 fatalities, one at Ocean Isle Beach, and two at Sunset Beach. Three other people were hospitalized. 3 3 –
2015-09-27 Rip CurrentChatham County, GA · forecast zone Coastal Chatham Chatham County Emergency Management reported that rip currents in the waters off of Tybee Island caused 3 fatalities and 2 injuries in a group of people during a religious celebration. First responders on the scene pulled 5 people out of the water and rushed 4 of them to Memorial University Medical Center. Two of ... 3 2 –
2023-03-12 Rip CurrentCameron Parish, LA · forecast zone West Cameron A mother and 2 children drowned near the break waters at Long Beach Road. One child was pulled from the water and survived, but had to be air lifted. 3 1 –
2004-06-27 Rip CurrentGarapan, Saipan Municipality, MP Three Chinese women, ages unknown, drowned in rough waters and strong currents off Sugar Dock Beach near Garapan, Saipan. 3 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, deaths direct and indirect as filed.

The most recent rip current records

To June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-06 Rip CurrentNew Hanover County, NC · forecast zone Coastal New Hanover 0 0 –
2026-06-04 Rip CurrentCharleston County, SC · forecast zone Charleston 0 0 –
2026-06-02 Rip CurrentFlagler County, FL · forecast zone Coastal Flagler 0 2 –
2026-05-29 Rip CurrentNew Hanover County, NC · forecast zone Coastal New Hanover 0 0 –
2026-05-24 Rip CurrentCharleston County, SC · forecast zone Charleston 0 0 –
2026-05-24 Rip CurrentChatham County, GA · forecast zone Coastal Chatham 0 0 –
2026-05-23 Rip CurrentNew Hanover County, NC · forecast zone Coastal New Hanover 0 0 –
2026-05-21 Rip CurrentNew Hanover County, NC · forecast zone Coastal New Hanover 0 1 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

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