National Weather Service Advisory – Avoid the Gulf, Here’s Why

(KMDL-FM) Can you imagine what it would feel like to be on a vacation at Disney World in Florida, and you get a message saying, "Avoid Mickey Mouse"? That's got to be the feeling that thousands of college students and many Louisiana families are feeling as they attempt to enjoy spring break along the beaches of the Gulf Coast.

READ MORE: Booze Banned at Popular Alabama Beach

Even though the skies are sunny and the humidity is down, this is not the best week to be at the beach. Or at least be at the beaches of the Gulf Coast from Grand Isle, Louisiana, eastward to Panama City, Florida, and beyond.

Weather Service Posts Advisories For Gulf Coast Beachgoers

There are two advisories posted that we don't normally see along the usually docile beaches of the Gulf. Most of the time, the waves in that body of water are just barely enough to ripple your raft or raise wave jumpers by only a few feet.

Get our free mobile app

Today and for the next several days, wave action and surf action in the Gulf will be exceptionally high, and that is why the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Mobile/Pensacola is taking the unusual step of telling beachgoers to avoid the Gulf.

The graphic you see above tells the story quite nicely. Not only is there a high surf advisory posted for many of your favorite beaches, but there are also warnings for rip currents. These are the currents that can pull swimmers out to sea, and they are exceptionally dangerous along the Gulf Coast for the next several days.

What Is The Current Rip Current Danger Along the Northern Gulf Coast?

The forecast for the beaches calls for a high rip current danger through at least Thursday.

At that time, conditions might ease just a little, but there will still be a significant threat for anyone who leaves the beach and wades into the surf. You'll want to watch your beach warning flags for updated conditions.

READ MORE: "Super El Niño" How Will That Affect Hurricane Season in the Gulf? 

The outlook for this weekend and the following week suggests much better beach conditions, at least as far as getting into the water is concerned. Sea surface temperatures are still a bit cool for the tastes of many swimmers, but those waters should be warming up to "bathwater" conditions before too much longer.