Leatherman, S.B., 2017. Rip current measurements at three South Florida beaches.

Rip current measurements in South Florida were undertaken at three locations: Miami Beach, Haulover Park, and Riviera Beach. Rip speeds, measured by GPS drifters and fluorescein tracer dye as imaged by a quadcopter, ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 m/s in response to low-energy incident waves, which are common for this area. The purpose of this research is to provide a better understanding of the physical aspects of rip currents in a highly populated area that is also the destination for millions of visitors each year; this information will help lower the loss of life, which is presently quite high. The behavior of rip currents in South Florida was not known because there has been no previous field research conducted in this area. Rip currents, while weak, are hazardous because the wave conditions during these events do not seem threatening to beachgoers.