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The white sand and sun-kissed shores of the Gulf Coast bring visitors from all over the world to the Florida and Alabama beaches. The northern Gulf of Mexico coastline is one of my family’s favorite playgrounds, and we have spent time on all of these beaches. However, these emerald waters often conceal a hidden danger you don’t encounter on other coasts—rip currents. Therefore, it’s important to be safe and understand the beach flag warning system when visiting the beaches in Florida and Alabama.
The Beach Flag Warning System
Your family’s safety is incredibly important!
Understanding the beach flag warning system is not just a matter of caution; it’s a crucial step toward ensuring the safety of your loved ones. Luckily, the system is very easy to understand and similar across all beaches. The rip current risk is most prevalent along the northern Gulf of Mexico, including the Alabama beaches and Florida panhandle.
However, many Florida and Alabama counties have their unique warning service. So, please check the quick links below for the county where you are vacationing so you can understand its system and sign up for alerts. When on your family vacation, please look for the warning flags on the beach and any beach warning signs.
In this post, I want to reiterate the importance of comprehending the flag system and recognizing potential rip currents, offering insights on staying aware and what actions to take if caught in one. Next, I will list each county from west to east, including their unique beach warning flags. And then, I will include things to do on red or double red flag days in each area!
Beach Flag Warning Colors
The below graphic is a general summary of the beach flag warning system. As you will see, there are typically 4 beach flag colors used.
- green flag – calm conditions
- yellow flag – moderate surf conditions
- red flag – strong currents
- purple flag – dangerous marine life
Additionally, a double red flag is used when the water is closed to the public. It is illegal to enter the water when double red flags are flying. It is generally safe to swim on green or yellow flag days. On single red beach warning flag days, the motto is “Knee deep is too deep.”
The purple flag is never flown solo. It is flown alongside the green, yellow, and red flags.
How To Spot Rip Currents
Rip currents are narrow channels of fast-moving water flowing seaward. These natural forces can catch even the most seasoned swimmers off guard. Unfortunately, from the shore, the water in a rip current actually looks calmer than in surrounding areas, leading to a fall sense of security.
This is why all of the counties along the northern Gulf Coast take significant measures to help you know when the water is safe and when it’s not!
To identify rip currents, look for:
- deeper water
- discolored water
- a lack of waves
Deeper Water: Rip currents often form in deeper channels between sandbars, creating a noticeable contrast in watercolor. This is noticeable from above when standing on higher balconies.
Foamy, Discolored Water: Rip currents disturb the sandy ocean floor, resulting in discolored and foamy water as they carry debris seaward.
No Breaking Waves: A telltale sign is the absence of breaking waves in a particular area, indicating the presence of a rip current. If you see the white caps to both the right and left but none in front of you, it may indicate a rip current.
What to Do if Caught in a Rip Current
In the event you find yourself caught in a rip current, it’s crucial to remain calm and follow these steps in order:
- Stay Calm
- Swim Parallel
- Float & Signal
- Tread Water
Stay Calm: Conserve energy and avoid panicking. Signal for help if necessary. Do so immediately when you are closest to shore.
Swim Parallel: Swim parallel to the shore to escape the narrow grip of the rip current before heading back to land.
Float and Signal: Allow the current to carry you while signaling for assistance by raising one arm and waving. If and when the current weakens, swim at an angle away from the current toward the shore.
Tread Water: If swimming out of the current is challenging, tread water to conserve energy until help arrives.
I highly recommend that you never swim alone. If you see someone stuck in a rip current, please call 911 and alert lifeguards immediately. If possible, signal to them to swim parallel to the shore.
More rip-current related deaths are downings caused by pure exhaustion after righting a rip current for too long or attempting to swim back to shore.
Florida and Alabama Beach Flag Warning System By County
In the following section, I will list each county from west to east, starting at the Mississippi-Alabama border and continuing through the Florida panhandle. I will also include general information on the west and southwest Florida beaches.
For each county, I will include the main beach communities located there and a link to the specific beach warning system for that county. I will also have the text alert number if available. Some areas, like the Alabama Beaches, also include links to beach areas where lifeguards are present. In fact, the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism website does a great job explaining rip currents and the warning system. They even include videos on their main Beach Safety page!
Additionally, I will include a link to various activities in that area. When you browse them, you will see that each of these coastal communities in Florida and Alabama offers plenty of things to do outside of swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
Baldwin County, Alabama Beach Flag System
This area includes the famous Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama beach towns.
Beach Flag Infomation: Baldwin County Beach Safety
Text Alert Instructions: To receive beach flag alerts for Baldwin County, text ALBEACHES to 888777
Activities: Things to Do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama
Escambia County, Florida Beach Flag System
This area includes Pensacola Beach, Florida, Perdido Key, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the surrounding areas.
Beach Flag Infomation: Escambia County Beach Safety
Activities: Things to Do in the Pensacola Area
Santa Rosa County, Florida Beach Flag System
This area includes Navarre Beach, Florida. Please do not confuse Santa Rosa County with Santa Rosa Beach, which is two counties over in South Walton County.
Beach Flag Infomation: Santa Rosa County Beach Safety
Activities: Things to Do in Navarre Beach, Florida
Okaloosa County, Florida Beach Flag System
This area includes Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Henderson State Park Beach.
Beach Flag Infomation: Okaloosa County Beach Safety
Text Alert Instructions: To receive beach flag alerts for Okaloosa County, text BEACH to 44144
Activities: Top Things to Do in Destin and Ft Walton Beach
Walton County, Florida Beach Flag System
This area includes Miramar Beach, Sandestin, and all of 30A. The 30A beaches include Dune Allen, Gulf Place, Santa Rosa Beach, Blue Mountain Ridge, Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside, Seagrove, Watersound, Seacrest, Alys Beach, Seacrest Beach, Rosemary Beach, and Inlet Beach, Florida.
Beach Flag Infomation: Walton County Beach Safety
Text Alert Instructions: To receive beach flag alerts for Walton County, text SAFETY to 31279
Activities: Check out all of my 30A Guides!
Bay County, Florida Beach Flag System
This area includes Panama City Beach, Florida including Shell Island, eastward towards Mexico Beach. According to their website, the city of Mexico Beach does not have a beach flag warning system, so I would refer to both neighboring counties.
Beach Flag Infomation: Bay County Beach Safety
Text Alert Instructions: To receive beach flag alerts for Bay County, text PCBFLAGS to 888777
Activities: Family-Friendly Things to Do in Panama City Beach
Gulf County, Florida Beach Flag System
This area includes the bay-side community of Port Saint Joe and the Gulf-front vacation areas along Indian Pass and Cape San Blas.
Beach Flag Infomation: Gulf County Beach Safety will direct you to The Gulf County Fire Dept Facebook page for daily updates.
Activities: Popular Activities in Gulf County, Florida
Franklin County, Florida Beach Flag System
This area is known as the Forgotten Coast. It includes St. George Island, Carrabelle Beach Wayside Park, and Alligator Point, Florida.
Beach Flag Infomation: Franklin County Beach Safety
Activities: Things to Do and See Along the Forgotten Coast
Remaining Florida Counties
Continuing east in Florida, the next several counties along the Big Bend do not have prevalent beaches. In fact, most of the coastline is marshlike in this part of Florida.
However, once you get down to the Tampa/Clearwater area, Sarasota, Anna Maria Island, and beyond, each county uses a central system: VisitBeaches.org.
This map lets you click on a city or beach or enter it into the top right search bar. When you see your destination, click REPORTS to show the current flag status. This also covers some previously mentioned counties to the northwest in Florida and Alabama.
Be Safe and Enjoy Your Trip to the Florida and Alabama Beaches
Chances are that you will have green or yellow flags for some or all of your trips to the Florida and Alabama beaches. So, don’t let this scare you.
I want to keep you informed and your family safe while you enjoy the white sand beaches I love so much!
Following local beach safety guidelines is important. Understanding the flag warning system is a crucial aspect of coastal safety. The good news is that it is straightforward to follow!
Just use the links above and sign up for beach flag warning text alerts (if available) before your trip. I actually get them daily for a few different countries. In fact, getting the Walton County alerts each day helps me be a better Airbnb host on 30A.
Likewise, if you enjoy the sunshine and warm beaches as much as I do, you may enjoy the related family travel posts below. Happy Travels!
Recommended Family Travel Blog Posts
- Glass Blowing in Orange Beach
- 30A Packing List
- Swimming with Manatees in Florida
- My Favorite Books About Florida
Shop My Favorite Beach Essentials
If you feel overwhelmed trying to figure out what you need for your family beach vacation, I have a fantastic list of my favorite beach items!
PIN: The Beach Flag Warning System Along The Gulf Coast
