Kenedy Island Beaches: rip current risk and surf forecast

TexasNear Sarita, Kenedy CountyNWS zone TXZ451NWS Brownsville

Rip current risk today: Moderate. Life-threatening rip currents are possible. Swim near a lifeguard, and follow the beach patrol and its flags.

Surf 2 to 3 feet, water 85 degrees. Buoy RSJT2, 13 mi out, measured 87 °F water. Sunset 7:28 PM.

Rip current risk: ModerateToday
Surf: 2 to 3 feetForecast
Water: 85 degreesForecast
Sunset: 7:28 PMCDT

Radar

Reflectivity now over Kenedy Island Beaches. Open it to see rip current risk on the map.

Open the live radar with rip current risk

Radar mosaic and map layers from NOAA MRMS. Boundaries from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet.

Alerts in force

No beach hazards statement, high surf advisory or other warning is in force for Kenedy Island Beaches. Those are the products a coastal office issues when the water turns dangerous. When one is issued it appears here and on the alerts page for this area.

Today and tomorrow

From the National Weather Service beach forecast, issued 307 AM CDT, 9/20/2026.

Today Today

Moderate rip current risk

Rip current risk: Moderate
Surf: 2 to 3 feet
Water temperature: 85 degrees
UV index: Extreme
High temperature: Around 90
Weather: Sunny
Wind: Northwest winds around 5 mph, becoming east in the afternoon
Thunderstorms: None

UV index 11 or higher. Unprotected skin can burn in minutes. Sand reflects UV and adds to the exposure.

Tomorrow Monday

Low rip current risk

Rip current risk: Low
Surf: Around 2 feet
High temperature: Around 90
Weather: Mostly sunny
Wind: East winds 5 to 10 mph
Thunderstorms: None

The surf zone forecast, period by period

Kenedy Island, Willacy Island, Cameron Island. Issued 3:07 AM CDT on Sun, Sep 20 by the National Weather Service in Brownsville.

There is a moderate risk of rip currents today

Today

Rip Current Risk: Moderate
Surf Height: 2 to 3 feet
Thunderstorm Potential: None
UV Index: Extreme
Surf Temperature: 85 degrees
Weather: Sunny
High Temperature: Around 90
Winds: Northwest winds around 5 mph, becoming east in the afternoon
Tides, South Padre Island: Low at 04:56 PM CDT

Tonight

Rip Current Risk: Moderate
Surf Height: 2 to 3 feet
Thunderstorm Potential: None
Weather: Partly cloudy until 2 AM, then mostly cloudy until 3 AM, then partly cloudy
Low Temperature: In the lower 80s
Winds: Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph
Tides, South Padre Island: High at 03:53 AM CDT

Monday

Rip Current Risk: Low
Surf Height: Around 2 feet
Thunderstorm Potential: None
Weather: Mostly sunny
High Temperature: Around 90
Winds: East winds 5 to 10 mph

None.

The days after

Monday night. Surf height around 2 feet. Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 80s. East winds around 10 mph.

Tuesday. Surf height around 2 feet. Sunny. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. East winds around 10 mph.

Tuesday night. Surf height around 2 feet. Mostly clear. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 80s. East winds around 10 mph.

Wednesday. Surf height around 2 feet. Sunny. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. East winds around 10 mph.

Wednesday night. Surf height around 2 feet. Mostly clear. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 80s. East winds around 10 mph.

Thursday. Surf height 2 to 3 feet. Sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Northeast winds around 10 mph.

The office's notes on this forecast

Rip Current Risk Category * Low Risk - The risk for rip currents is low, however, life-threatening rip currents often occur in the vicinity of groins, jetties, reefs, and piers. * Moderate Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are possible in the surf zone. * High Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone.

** For thunderstorm, waterspout, and UV definitions see: https://www.weather.gov/beach/bro

The product as issued

FZUS54 KBRO 200807
SRFBRO

Surf Zone Forecast
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
307 AM CDT Sun Sep 20 2026

TXZ451-454-455-202215-
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
Including the beaches of South Padre Island and Boca Chica
307 AM CDT Sun Sep 20 2026

...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY...

.TODAY...
Rip Current Risk*...........Moderate. 
Surf Height.................2 to 3 feet. 
Thunderstorm Potential**....None. 
UV Index**..................Extreme. 
Surf Temperature............85 degrees. 
Weather.....................Sunny. 
High Temperature............Around 90. 
Winds.......................Northwest winds around 5 mph, becoming 
                            east in the afternoon. 
Tides...
   South Padre Island.......Low at 04:56 PM CDT.

.TONIGHT...
Rip Current Risk*...........Moderate. 
Surf Height.................2 to 3 feet. 
Thunderstorm Potential**....None. 
Weather.....................Partly cloudy until 2 AM, then mostly 
                            cloudy until 3 AM, then partly cloudy. 
Low Temperature.............In the lower 80s. 
Winds.......................Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. 
Tides...
   South Padre Island.......High at 03:53 AM CDT.

.MONDAY...
Rip Current Risk*...........Low. 
Surf Height.................Around 2 feet. 
Thunderstorm Potential**....None. 
Weather.....................Mostly sunny. 
High Temperature............Around 90. 
Winds.......................East winds 5 to 10 mph. 
Tides...
None.

.EXTENDED...
.MONDAY NIGHT...Surf height around 2 feet. Mostly clear. Lows in the
lower 80s. East winds around 10 mph. 
.TUESDAY...Surf height around 2 feet. Sunny. A chance of showers and
a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. East winds
around 10 mph. 
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Surf height around 2 feet. Mostly clear. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 80s. East
winds around 10 mph. 
.WEDNESDAY...Surf height around 2 feet. Sunny. A chance of showers
and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. East
winds around 10 mph. 
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Surf height around 2 feet. Mostly clear. A chance
of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower
80s. East winds around 10 mph. 
.THURSDAY...Surf height 2 to 3 feet. Sunny. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Northeast winds around 10 mph.

&&

Rip Current Risk Category
* Low Risk - The risk for rip currents is low, however,
life-threatening rip currents often occur in the vicinity of groins,
jetties, reefs, and piers.
* Moderate Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are possible in the
surf zone.
* High Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf
zone.

** For thunderstorm, waterspout, and UV definitions see:
https://www.weather.gov/beach/bro


$$

The water now, measured

Buoy RSJT2, 8777812 - Rincon del San Jose, TX, 13 mi away, reported 6:54 AM.

Water temperature: 87 °F
Air temperature: 78 °F

From NOAA's National Data Buoy Center. Wave height is the significant height, the average of the highest third; the largest waves run half again as high. Offshore buoys read bigger than the surf at the beach.

Tides today

Padre Island, Port Mansfield Channel Ent, 26 mi away. Feet above mean lower low water.

High tide2:56 AM1.9 ft
Low tide4:41 PM0.5 ft

Low tide often exposes the sandbars and channels that shape rip currents, and the risk can run higher for an hour or two either side of it. Full tide table for Padre Island, Port Mansfield Channel Ent.

Sun and daylight

Sunrise today: 7:17 AM
Sunset today: 7:28 PM
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:17 AM
Sunset tomorrow: 7:27 PM

Times are Central Daylight Time. Lifeguards are off duty outside posted hours, and the rip current risk does not fall with the light.

Beaches in this forecast

The office forecasts these beaches together with the neighboring zones.

South Padre Island
Boca Chica

As the National Weather Service lists them in its surf zone forecast.

What this means

The three levels the National Weather Service issues, and what to do at each.

High	Life-threatening rip currents are likely. The surf zone is dangerous for swimmers of every level. Stay out of the water.
Moderate	Life-threatening rip currents are possible. Swim near a lifeguard, and follow the beach patrol and its flags.
Low	Life-threatening rip currents are not expected, but they can still form near groins, jetties, reefs and piers. Swim near a lifeguard.

If a rip current carries you out

Do not fight the current. It pulls you away from the beach, not under the water.
Stay calm and keep your head above water. Float or tread water until the pull eases.
Swim parallel to the beach, along the shore, until you are out of the current, then angle in toward the beach.
If you cannot escape, face the shore, wave your arms and call for help.
If someone else is caught, do not go in after them. Get a lifeguard, call 911, and throw them something that floats.

Thunderstorms and lightning

No thunderstorms are in the forecast today. Water and open sand leave you the tallest thing around. When thunder roars, go indoors: leave the water and the beach for a building or a hard-topped vehicle, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back.

A rip current is a narrow stream of water flowing away from the beach, through the surf and past the breakers. It pulls swimmers out, not under. Rip current and lightning safety guidance from the National Weather Service.

Nearby

The stretches of shore the National Weather Service forecasts on either side of this one.

More for this place

Sources

Rip current risk, surf, water temperature and UV from the National Weather Service surf zone forecast and beach forecast, office BRO, issued 307 AM CDT, 9/20/2026. Original at NWS. Waves and water temperature measured by NOAA's National Data Buoy Center. Tides from NOAA CO-OPS. Alerts from the National Weather Service for zone TXZ451.