Alert archive / Florida / Rip Current Statements in 2026

Rip Current Statement 17, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

July 28, 20266 counties in Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this rip current statement at Jul 28, 2026, 3:01 PM EDT for 6 counties in Florida. It took effect at Jul 29, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 6 days.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 28, 2026, 3:01 PM EDT (19:01 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 29, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT
Expired
Aug 3, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
6 days
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 19:04 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, 7.0 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 2026-07-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3630 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 2026-07-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 40 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
3630 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
589 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
20 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

996 
WHUS42 KTBW 281901
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
301 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-301915-
/O.NEW.KTBW.RP.S.0017.260729T1200Z-260801T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
301 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

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

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Friday 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.

&&

$$
6 follow-up statements
896 
WHUS42 KTBW 300721
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
321 AM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-010000-
/O.CON.KTBW.RP.S.0017.000000T0000Z-260801T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
321 AM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Friday 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.

&&

$$
342 
WHUS42 KTBW 300722
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
322 AM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-010000-
/O.CON.KTBW.RP.S.0017.000000T0000Z-260801T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
322 AM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...through Friday 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.

&&

$$
192 
WHUS42 KTBW 301810
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
210 PM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-020000-
/O.EXT.KTBW.RP.S.0017.000000T0000Z-260802T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
210 PM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...Through Saturday 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.

&&

$$
485 
WHUS42 KTBW 010534
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
134 AM EDT Sat Aug 1 2026

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-030000-
/O.EXT.KTBW.RP.S.0017.000000T0000Z-260803T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
134 AM EDT Sat Aug 1 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...Through Sunday 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.

&&

$$
430 
WHUS42 KTBW 021201
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
801 AM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-040000-
/O.EXT.KTBW.RP.S.0017.000000T0000Z-260804T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
801 AM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...Through Monday 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.

&&

$$
658 
WHUS42 KTBW 030745
CFWTBW

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
345 AM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026

FLZ050-151-155-160-162-165-040000-
/O.CON.KTBW.RP.S.0017.000000T0000Z-260804T0000Z/
Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-
Coastal Charlotte-Coastal Lee-
345 AM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...Through this 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.

&&

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 28, 12:00 AM EDTHeat AdvisoryTBWCitrus, Levy, Sumter19 hr
Jul 28, 1:10 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW50 min
Jul 28, 1:17 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTBWCitrus, Hernando, Levy88 min
Jul 28, 1:55 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW65 min
Jul 28, 2:43 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTBWCitrus, Hernando, Levy107 min
Jul 28, 2:54 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW66 min
Jul 28, 2:36 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWPolk24 min
Jul 28, 2:59 PM EDTHeat AdvisoryTBWCitrus, Levy, Sumter29 hr

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.