Beach Flags & Conditions
For more information on beach conditions, including Beach Warning Flags during peak season, visit our Facebook Page or text BEACH to 44144 for a daily beach warning flag update.
Visit Okaloosa County Beach Safety Website to learn more about Okaloosa County Beach Safety.
The safety and enjoyment of Okaloosa County’s public beaches are affected by changes in tide and surf conditions. Okaloosa County’s beach warning flag program uses flags in four colors accompanied by interpretive signs along the beach to explain the meaning of each color.
The Beach Warning Flags provide general warnings about overall surf conditions and do not specifically advise the public of the presence of rip currents. However increasing awareness of natural conditions which pose a significant risk at the beach, such as rip currents, is a critical element to improve public safety. Therefore in addition to the Beach Warning Flags, the Okaloosa County Beach Safety Lifeguards provide Prevention and Educational Informational sessions on the beach to advise how to recognize rip currents and other natural risk conditions.
Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore. They typically extend from the shoreline, through the surf zone, and past the line of breaking waves. Rip currents can occur at any beach with breaking waves.
If you become caught in a rip current, yell for help and remain calm. Do not exhaust yourself and stay afloat while waiting for help. If you have to swim out of a rip current, swim parallel to shore and back toward the beach when possible. Do not attempt to swim directly against a rip current as you will tire quickly.
