Dangerous rip currents turn fatal from Tropical Storm Ernesto along US Atlantic beaches

Even though Ernesto will stay well offshore of the United States, waves expanding outward from the storm will continue to create rough surf and strong rip currents along the Atlantic coast beaches.

The summer vacation season hasn't ended yet for everyone, with many seeking the less crowded days of the middle to late part of August to enjoy some time at the beach. However, Tropical Storm Ernesto may cause trouble, and Debby is still causing trouble in some areas, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.

Trouble in the surf zone

Ernesto's expanding winds will push on the ocean surface and create large swells that will spread outward from the center -- much like a plunger in a bathtub.

As Ernesto spins northward after making landfall on Bermuda, seas and surf will remain rough along much of the East Coast of the United States through the end of this weekend.

As those swells generated by Ernesto approach the shallow waters along the U.S. beaches, wave action will increase, and correspondingly, the number and strength of rip currents will increase.

The rip currents occur as increasing waves carry more water shoreward than can escape before the next wave arrives. The water then returns to the deeper areas through narrow channels known as rip currents. Rip currents, which are almost always present whenever there are breakers, may appear as a quiet surf zone, but the water within is racing out to sea.

On Friday, two fatalities were reported in South Carolina after beachgoers were caught in strong rip currents, according to the Beaufort County's Sheriffs Office. Local news outlets also reported that at least 29 people were rescued from rip currents along the North Carolina coast over the weekend.

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Swimmers are strongly urged to only swim under the watchful eye of lifeguards and obey local restrictions due to weather and surf conditions.

If you become caught in a rip current, experts advise that it may be best not to fight the flow of water but either swim parallel to the shore or just float until the seaward push subsides in a few minutes to avoid exhaustion.

While rip currents will create dangers in the surf zone, a slow-moving storm will spread drenching downpours, and locally severe thunderstorms into the Eastern states this weekend.

Rain-free conditions tend to hold on the longest at the beach in this setup, but as the weekend concludes, the chance of downpours will increase along the shoreline.

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