Alert archive / Florida / Rip Current Statements in 2026

Rip Current Statement 9, NWS Melbourne, FL

March 3, 20265 counties in Florida

NWS Melbourne, FL issued this rip current statement at Mar 3, 2026, 2:50 AM EST for 5 counties in Florida. It was in force for 22 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 3, 2026, 2:50 AM EST (07:50 UTC)
Expired
Mar 4, 2026, 1:00 AM EST
In force
22 hr
Issued by
NWS Melbourne, FL

Counties Brevard County, FL, Indian River County, FL, Martin County, FL, Saint Lucie County, FL, Volusia County, FL

The radar

The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 23 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:50 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

Cape Canaveral, FL (KXMR), launched 00:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 65 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, Cape Canaveral, FL at 00:00Z on 2026-03-03Temperature 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°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Cape Canaveral, FL at 00:00Z on 2026-03-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -21 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1182 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-21 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
25 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

819 
WHUS42 KMLB 030750
CFWMLB

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Melbourne FL
250 AM EST Tue Mar 3 2026

FLZ141-154-159-164-347-447-647-747-040600-
/O.NEW.KMLB.RP.S.0009.260303T0750Z-260304T0600Z/
Coastal Volusia-Coastal Indian River-Coastal Saint Lucie-
Coastal Martin-Mainland Northern Brevard-
Northern Brevard Barrier Islands-Mainland Southern Brevard-
Southern Brevard Barrier Islands-
250 AM EST Tue Mar 3 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

* WHERE...Beaches of Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, Saint Lucie,
  and Martin Counties.

* WHEN...Through late tonight.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away
from shore, which occur most often at low spots or breaks in the
sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as jetties and
piers. Heed the advice of lifeguards, beach patrol flags and
signs.

Entering the surf is strongly discouraged. 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.

&&

$$

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Florida, 2026Every rip current statement in 2026

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.