National Weather Service issues rip current risk for Thursday, Horry County closes beaches to swimmers

Weather authorities warn that rip currents could develop Thursday. Swimmers and beach goers should use caution.

Officials with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, N.C. have issued a rip current advisory in effect Thursday for several coastal Carolina areas, including Horry and Georgetown counties.

There is a high risk of rip tides developing from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday for coastal Pender, N.C., coastal Brunswick, N.C., coastal New Hanover, N.C., and coastal Horry and Georgetown counties, according to the weather service.

Due to the advisory, Horry County shut down beaches to swimming late Thursday morning, according to a release from Raul Denis, the public information officer for Horry County Police Department.

The release said that beaches in Horry County are closed to swimmers until further notice. Anyone failing to obey directons of beach personnel may be subject to arrest and a fine of $225, according to the release.

The best time for rip tides to form is an hour or two, before or after low tide, which will be at about 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Rip currents could be life-threatening the in the surf zone, according to weather service officials.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water, flowing away quickly from the shore, and they usually happen in low spots or breaks in sandbars.

Weather service officials advise swimmers to yell for help and stay calm while waiting for assistance. Officials warn swimmers should not exhaust themselves if they become caught in a rip current.

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 7:06 AM with the headline "National Weather Service issues rip current risk for Thursday, Horry County closes beaches to swimmers."