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Officials stress beach safety during spring break

Flag warning system is used daily
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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce projects there will be a bigger spring break crowd this weekend with the largest concentration is coming from Austin and San Antonio.

CNN posted video of beachgoers running from a tornado like waterspout at Fort Myers Florida beach. This can raise some questions about how safe the beach can be.

“So, we can see water sprouts here off the middle Texas Coast. The conditions in the next few days don’t look favorable for that so that’s good news for spring breakers,” said Warning Coordination Meteorologist at National Weather Service, Melissa Huffman.

While it’s not likely that we would see something like this. There are other dangers that you can’t see, under water.

“How high the waves are that are coming in. How windy it is, if there have been a lot of rip currents that have been observed at the beach,” said Huffman.

To warn you of surf conditions, a flag warning system is used every day.

“You can’t go past the flags, or you’ll get a current or something that will drag you in,” said 8-year-old Colton Corbell, who is visiting from Houston.

Watching over Corbell is family member Christi Mah, she said when there’s a red flag she’s on high alert.

“It means they can’t go in above their knees,” she said.

Lifeguards are on patrol every day from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to make sure everyone is safe but their day starts well before people start arriving at the beach

“When we come out here in the morning, we check the conditions. We get in the water and test to see which way the current is going,” said head lifeguard Austin Carter.

As the weekend approaches lifeguard’s advice to always be cautious when you get in the water no matter the flag color. For you weekend forecast from meteorologist Juan Acuna, click here.