Water is reopening along the Gulf Coast though officials continue to warn of the potential for dangerous rip currents and strong tides.

Single red flags are posted along Gulf, including places like Gulf Shores, Panama City Beach and Destin. Single red flags indicate dangerous surf and rip currents.

“Water is open but be extremely careful if you insist on entering the water,” officials in Destin said. “Say close to the shore.”

In Gulf Shores, city officials were asking people to stay on the shore for their safety but the water is open. The rip current risk there is high, according to the forecast.

According to the National Weather Service in Mobile, the rip current risk will remain high for today and tonight for the stretch of beach from Destin to Orange Beach and into Florida spots like Pensacola Beach, Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach to Destin. Levels are expected to drop down to moderate by Monday into Monday night before increasing back to high for Tuesday through Wednesday night.

Rip currently is a strong and narrow currents of water that occurs near beaches with breaking waves. Unpredictable, dangerous and deadly, a rip current can be strong enough to pull even a good swimmer out to sea.

Rip currents are hard to see at eye-level but officials said you should look for discoloration of water, unusual choppiness or debris and foam moving seaward.

If you’re caught in a rip current, NWS recommends:

• Relax, rip currents don’t pull you under.
• Don’t swim against the current.
• You may be able to escape by swimming out of the current in a direction following the shoreline, or toward breaking waves, then at an angle toward the beach.
• You may be able to escape by floating or treading water if the current circulates back toward shore.
• If you feel you will be unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself. If you need help, yell and wave for assistance.

Spot someone in trouble?

Don’t become a victim while trying to help someone else. Many people have died trying to rescue rip current victims.

• Get help from a lifeguard.
• If a lifeguard is not present, call 9-1-1, then try to direct the victim to swim following the shoreline to escape.
• If possible, throw the rip current victim something that floats.
• Never enter the water without a flotation device.