Alert archive / Florida / Rip Current Statements in 2025

Rip Current Statement 7, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

March 4, 20256 counties in Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this rip current statement at Mar 4, 2025, 2:52 PM EST for 6 counties in Florida. It took effect at Mar 5, 2025, 7:00 AM EST. It was in force for 60 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 4, 2025, 2:52 PM EST (19:52 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 5, 2025, 7:00 AM EST
Expired
Mar 7, 2025, 7:00 PM EST
In force
60 hr
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL

Counties Charlotte County, FL, Hillsborough County, FL, Lee County, FL, Manatee County, FL, Pinellas County, FL, Sarasota County, FL

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 44 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:53 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 43 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Tampa Bay, FL at 12:00Z on 2025-03-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Tampa Bay, FL at 12:00Z on 2025-03-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1050 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
112 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

044 
WHUS42 KTBW 041952
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
252 PM EST Tue Mar 4 2025

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-070000-
/O.NEW.KTBW.RP.S.0007.250305T1200Z-250307T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
252 PM EST Tue Mar 4 2025

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH
THURSDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

* WHERE...Pinellas, Coastal Hillsborough, Coastal Manatee, 
  Coastal Sarasota, Coastal Charlotte and Coastal Lee Counties.

* WHEN...Through Thursday night 

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

There is a high risk of rip currents.

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help. 

&&

$$
5 follow-up statements
127 
WHUS42 KTBW 050838
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
338 AM EST Wed Mar 5 2025

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-070000-
/O.CON.KTBW.RP.S.0007.250305T1200Z-250307T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
338 AM EST Wed Mar 5 2025

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST THIS
MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

* WHERE...Pinellas, Coastal Hillsborough, Coastal Manatee, 
  Coastal Sarasota, Coastal Charlotte and Coastal Lee Counties.

* WHEN...From 7 AM EST this morning through Thursday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$
332 
WHUS42 KTBW 052016
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
316 PM EST Wed Mar 5 2025

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-070000-
/O.NEW.KTBW.SU.Y.0001.250306T0900Z-250307T0000Z/
/O.CON.KTBW.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-250307T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
316 PM EST Wed Mar 5 2025

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY
EVENING...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY...

* WHAT...For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous rip currents. 
  For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 2 to 9 
  feet expected in the surf zone.

* WHERE...Pinellas, Coastal Hillsborough, Coastal Manatee, 
  Coastal Sarasota, Coastal Charlotte and Coastal Lee Counties.

* WHEN...For the High Rip Current Risk, through Thursday 
  evening. For the High Surf Advisory, from 4 AM to 7 PM EST 
  Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and 
  localized beach erosion. Rip currents can sweep even the best 
  swimmers away from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$
189 
WHUS42 KTBW 060852
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
352 AM EST Thu Mar 6 2025

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-070000-
/O.CON.KTBW.SU.Y.0001.250306T0900Z-250307T0000Z/
/O.CON.KTBW.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-250307T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
352 AM EST Thu Mar 6 2025

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous rip currents. 
  For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 2 to 9 
  feet expected in the surf zone. 

* WHERE...Pinellas, Coastal Hillsborough, Coastal Manatee, 
  Coastal Sarasota, Coastal Charlotte and Coastal Lee Counties. 

* WHEN...For the High Rip Current Risk, through this evening. For
  the High Surf Advisory, from 4 AM to 7 PM EST. 

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and 
  localized beach erosion. Rip currents can sweep even the best 
  swimmers away from shore into deeper water. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$
952 
WHUS42 KTBW 062333
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
633 PM EST Thu Mar 6 2025

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-070745-
/O.EXT.KTBW.SU.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-250307T1200Z/
/O.EXT.KTBW.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-250307T1200Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
633 PM EST Thu Mar 6 2025

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST FRIDAY...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous rip currents. 
  For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 2 to 9 
  feet expected in the surf zone. 

* WHERE...Pinellas, Coastal Hillsborough, Coastal Manatee, 
  Coastal Sarasota, Coastal Charlotte and Coastal Lee Counties. 

* WHEN...For the High Rip Current Risk, through 7 AM Friday. For
  the High Surf Advisory, through 7 AM EST Friday. 

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and 
  localized beach erosion. Rip currents can sweep even the best 
  swimmers away from shore into deeper water. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$
533 
WHUS42 KTBW 070843
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
343 AM EST Fri Mar 7 2025

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-080000-
/O.EXT.KTBW.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-250308T0000Z/
/O.CON.KTBW.SU.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-250307T1200Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
343 AM EST Fri Mar 7 2025

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS
MORNING...

* WHAT...For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous rip currents. 
  For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of up to 3 
  feet in the surf zone.

* WHERE...Pinellas, Coastal Hillsborough, Coastal Manatee, 
  Coastal Sarasota, Coastal Charlotte and Coastal Lee Counties.

* WHEN...For the High Rip Current Risk, through this evening. 
  For the High Surf Advisory, until 7 AM EST this morning.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and 
  localized beach erosion. Rip currents can sweep even the best 
  swimmers away from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 4, 2:46 PM ESTSmall Craft AdvisoryTBW60 hr

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Florida, 2025Every rip current statement in 2025

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.