High risk of rip currents this week in Galveston and beaches near Houston, Texas

Visitors to beaches near Houston over the next few days will face an elevated risk of dangerous rip currents, with the highest risk Monday through Wednesday, National Weather Service officials in Houston and Galveston reported.

Here are some ways to stay safe while going to the beach in the coming days.

Forecasters expect rip currents to be moderate to strong on Sunday before increasing on Monday.

Swimmers should still be aware of fast, potentially deadly currents, but the highest risk remains through Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported in an article on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Currents travel across the water’s surface, from shore to offshore, moving up to 8 feet per second, according to the National Ocean Service. Rip currents generally appear darker and calmer than the surrounding waves.

Around a hundred people are killed by the currents and tens of thousands have to be rescued each year.

Some swimmers caught in a rip current mistakenly attempt to return directly to shore, but the National Ocean Service advises against this because the fast-moving waters can cause fatigue. It is best to swim parallel to the shore until you escape the current before heading towards land.

Swimmers can also wait until the current carries them away from shore and becomes less intense before swimming again to avoid exhaustion.

If it is difficult to reach shore, face the shore and call or signal a lifeguard.

If you are unsure whether a wave pattern could be a rip current, don’t go in the water. The National Weather Service recommends never swimming alone and staying near a lifeguard when in the water.

Bathers who appear to be treading water or drifting in the water may be caught in rip currents.