A rip current is a strong surface flow of
water returning
seaward from near the
shore (not to be confused with an
undertow). It is often mistakenly called a "rip tide" or "riptide", though the occurrence is not related to the tides. Colloquially a rip current is known simply as a rip. Although rip currents would exist even without the
tides, tides can make an existing rip much more dangerous (especially low tide). Typical flow is at 0.5
meters per
second (1-2
feet per second), and can be as fast as 2.5 meters per second (8 feet per second). Rip currents can move to different locations on a beach break, up to a few hundred feet a day. They can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the world's
oceans,
seas, and large
lakes such as the
Great Lakes in
Canada and the
United States.
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