Eye on the Tropics

Hurricane Dorian: What do beach safety warning flags mean?

ORLANDO, Fla. — As Hurricane Dorian begins to travel along Florida's east coast, many people have flocked to the beaches to see the incredible waves the storm has brought with it.

But safety should be beachgoers' No. 1 priority. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has created a beach warning flag program to make people aware of any warnings that may be in place for the beaches.

  • Double red flag- water closed to the public
  • Red flag- high hazard, high surf and/or strong currents
  • Yellow flag- medium hazard, moderate surf and/or currents
  • Green flag- low hazard, calm conditions, exercise caution
  • Purple flag- stinging marine life, e.g., Portuguese man-of-war, hydrozoans, jellyfish, stingrays

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