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Rip currents throughout New England - The Boston Globe

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, September 3rd 2025 at 13:00 GMT by The Boston Globe
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New England’s Beaches Brace for a New Rip‑Current Forecast System

August 19, 2025 – Boston Globe

In a landmark move aimed at reducing drownings along the eastern seaboard, the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) rolled out a new, high‑resolution rip‑current risk forecast for New England’s most popular beaches. The system, unveiled on Monday, promises to give lifeguards, surfers, and families a clearer picture of which stretches of shoreline are most dangerous each day.

The new forecast, described by the NWS as “the first of its kind to combine real‑time satellite imagery, tide gauges, and beach‑specific wave models,” will be available on the official NWS website and on a dedicated app that syncs with the American Red Cross and local lifeguard stations. According to the agency’s spokesperson, Emily Carter, the service will issue alerts up to 24 hours in advance and update them every six hours during peak surf season.

How the System Works

Rip currents are narrow channels of fast‑moving water that can pull swimmers out to sea. While local knowledge has traditionally guided beachgoers, the new system takes a science‑backed approach. The NWS employs data from the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and the NOAA Coastal Services Center to feed a machine‑learning model that predicts rip‑current intensity and location.

The model analyzes several variables: wind speed and direction, wave height, beach slope, and sediment transport. “We’ve refined the equations that link swell direction to the formation of eddies near the shore,” Carter explained. “That lets us estimate, for each kilometer of beach, a risk score from 0 to 5—5 being the most hazardous.”

Users will see color‑coded overlays on a map of each beach. Red zones signal a “high risk” of a rip current; orange indicates “moderate risk.” The system also flags the most likely entry points—typically the areas between sandbars or at the base of dunes.

The Human Toll Behind the Numbers

The impetus for the forecast came from a surge in rip‑current drownings over the past decade. According to the New England Health Department, 58 people lost their lives to rip currents in 2024 alone, an increase of 15 percent compared to 2023. Most victims were in the 20‑ to 40‑year‑old age group, a demographic that “is often overconfident in their swimming ability,” said Dr. Raj Patel, a marine epidemiologist at the University of Maine.

Patel, who has collaborated with the NWS on the forecast, underscored the importance of public education. “Risk scores are only as useful as the people who act on them,” he said. “We need to pair these alerts with clear signage and lifeguard training so that the message is unmistakable.”

Community Response

Boston’s Surf City Lifeguard Association welcomed the new system, noting that lifeguards have traditionally relied on a combination of intuition and historical data. “We’ve had to make split‑second decisions based on past patterns,” said lifeguard captain Maria Gonzalez. “Having a real‑time, data‑driven forecast is a game‑changer. It allows us to focus our patrols on the hottest spots and issue timely warnings.”

The city’s beaches have long been a hub for both recreational surfers and casual swimmers. Last summer’s wave‑break at Revere Beach saw a record 5,000 visitors, prompting the Boston Police Department to deploy additional crowd‑control measures. With the new forecast, authorities can better predict where to station lifeguards and where to post caution signs.

What to Do With the Forecast

The article advises beachgoers to read the risk overlay before heading out. For those seeking a calm day, the forecast indicates that most popular spots—such as Cape Cod’s Coast Guard Beach, Narragansett Pier, and Marblehead’s North Shore—will have “low risk” conditions from August 20 through 22, with only a few short stretches showing “moderate risk.” The NWS recommends that swimmers always stay within the designated “safe” zone, keep an eye on the water’s surface for sudden changes, and never attempt to swim back toward the shore through a moving current.

On days where the forecast flags a “high risk,” the article urges people to avoid the beach entirely or at least keep a close eye on posted warnings. Lifeguards will be on standby, but the system’s goal is to prevent unnecessary exposure to dangerous conditions.

A Step Toward Climate‑Resilient Coasts

Experts link the increasing frequency of rip‑current incidents to broader climate‑change trends. Warmer sea surface temperatures and shifting storm tracks can alter wave patterns, potentially amplifying rip‑current formation. The forecast’s data pipeline will continuously ingest new climate projections, ensuring that risk scores remain relevant as the ocean environment evolves.

The article concludes with a call to action for local governments to integrate the NWS data into emergency management plans. By sharing the forecasts with schools, beach festivals, and tourism boards, officials can foster a culture of safety that protects both residents and visitors.

As New England’s beaches prepare for the sweltering summer ahead, the new rip‑current risk forecast stands out as a beacon of proactive public safety—an intersection of technology, science, and community that could save countless lives in the years to come.