Beware of rip currents when swimming in South Florida.
Though Hurricane Maria's is well to the east, its winds are pushing water toward the east coast of Florida.
The Miami Herald reports that Larry Kelly, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Miami-Dade, said the risk is highest for Palm Beach. It's a moderate risk for Miami-Dade and Broward.
The currents are expected to stick around at least through Thursday.
NBC 6 meterologist Steve MacLaughlin explained that rip currents happen when water pushing into the coast from the ocean hits the shoreline and another current going back out in the opposite direction forms.
Experts say people who are visiting the beach shouldn't swim or go past their knees. If people get caught in a rip current, swim parallel with the shore until they're out of the current and can swim back to shore.
"This rip current can drag someone far away from the beach and lead to someone using all of their energy to fight the current, usually without success," MacLaughlin said. "The bottom line is to only swim where lifeguards are present and in areas the lifeguards have marked off as safe."
