Red beach flag meaning? Is swimming allowed under a red beach lifeguard flag? Florida beach travel blog

Hi there!

The ocean is powerful! And that’s what makes it important to understand what a red colored beach flag means.

You can’t always see what’s going on underwater from the shore.

There are many beaches that put up beach flags as a way to let you know what the conditions in the water are like.

The beach flags are different colors based on the ocean conditions.

This allows you to take additional precautions when swimming at the beach.

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👆 Red flag at Grayton Beach State Park, one of the best beaches in the Florida Panhandle.

To put it simply, you can think of beach flags like traffic lights:

• Green means go
• Yellow means use caution
• Red means stop

Yes, a red flag at the beach means STOP!

A red flag at the beach is meant to be taken seriously. As recently as June 2024, there were drownings at a beach that reportedly had a red flag up. Look for the color of the flag, and be sure you know what it means!

Also be sure you know how to escape a rip current in case you get caught up in one. (Info below.)

What are red flag conditions?

According to the beach signs, a red flag at the beach means that due to water conditions of high surf and/or currents, there is a high hazard in the water.

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Can you swim if there’s a red flag?

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In some places like Florida, there are single red beach flags and double red beach flags.

Here is what a single red flag at the beach means according to Florida State Parks:

Single red flag means high hazard, which could mean high surf and/or strong currents.

If you see a single red beach flag in Florida, although you are allowed to enter the water, it’s still really not safe for swimming.

A red flag at the beach means that even standing in knee deep water can be dangerous.

You are better off not entering the water, but you are allowed to enter the water if you see a single red flag at the beach.

You should really just think of a red flag at the beach as meaning no swimming allowed.

In Florida, you can enter the water if there’s a single red flag, and you may see surfers in the water under a single red beach flag warning.

👆 A red flag at the beach means that there is a high hazard. In Florida, while you are allowed to enter the water if there is a single red flag, it is best if you not enter the water if there’s a red flag at the beach.

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👆 Surfers in the water with a single red flag at Blue Mountain Beach in Florida.

In other places like Michigan beach towns, there is only one type of red flag, and that means no swimming allowed.

Here is what a red flag at the beach means according to the State of Michigan:

Stay on the beach, do not enter the water, and do not swim.

Single red flag vs double red flag

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In places where there are single red flags and double red flags, there is a rather big difference between a single red flag and double red flag at the beach.

If it’s a beach that uses double beach flags as a warning, then under a single red beach flag, you are allowed to enter the water.

Although again, there is a high risk for surf and currents if you see a single red beach flag so you really shouldn’t go into the water. But, you are allowed to.

Under a double red beach flag, you are absolutely not allowed to enter the water.

There is a very high hazard in the water with a very high risk for very high surf and/or currents.

This is what a double red flag at the beach means:

Water is closed to the public.

Double red flags mean absolutely no swimming because of high winds and undertow currents.

👆 A double red flag at the beach means that there is a high hazard and the water is closed to the public. There is absolutely no swimming allowed because of high winds and undertow currents.

👆 What the Emerald Coast of Florida wants you to know about beach flags before you go swimming in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island… and anywhere else!
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Additionally, depending on local enforcement, there may be a fine if you do go into the water when there is a double red beach flag.

Going swimming or even just entering the water when there is a double red flag could result in a $500 fine in some places.

👆 You can be fined $500 if you go swimming when there’s a double red flag at the beach.

Is the beach closed if there’s a red flag?

If you see a red flag at the beach, it does not mean that the beach is closed.

You can still go to the beach if you see a red flag.

The red flag at the beach represents the conditions of the water, not the open or closed status of the beach.

👆 There is a red flag at Henderson Beach State Park in Destin Florida. A red flag at the beach does not mean the beach is closed.

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Of course, there may be extreme times when the local town decides that the weather danger is so great that the beach does get closed to discourage people from going to the beach at all.

But in general, a red flag does not automatically mean that the beach is closed.

Rip currents

Again, the ocean is powerful!

There is a high risk of rip currents when there is a red flag warning.

To be dramatic, you can DIE because of rip currents.

There is a story of tourists from Mississippi who were in the water at Panama City Beach in Florida when they were swept into the water by a rip current.

It is reported that they were only knee deep in the water when it happened. One of them died. Read the story.

In that tragic story, the risk for rip currents was high.

But rip currents can exist even when the beach flag warning shows a low or moderate risk.

So just because you see a green flag or yellow flag at the beach doesn’t mean that there can’t be rip currents, although yes, the risk is lower than a red flag.

So know before you go!

According to the National Ocean Service, rip currents account for 80% of beach rescues.

Before heading off to the beach, talk with your group about what to do if you find yourself in a rip current!

In short:

• Don’t fight the current.
• Swim parallel to shore.

Learn about rip currents from the National Ocean Service (NOAA).

👆 What the Emerald Coast of Florida wants you to know about rip currents before you go swimming! Screenshot the above and send to the people you’ll be going to the beach with! Or just send this whole article!

If the beach you are going to has a beach flag, take extra caution based on the color of the beach flag!

Even if the flag indicates generally “calm conditions,” it’s still the ocean, so take care!

And that’s a bit about a red beach flag!

More for your beach vacation:

• What does a purple beach flag mean?
• Best shelling beaches in Florida
• The perfect swimming shirt for your beach vacation
• Do you need water shoes?
• The cheapo way to take underwater pictures
• Why a personal swim buoy float is perfect for ocean swimming
• What to pack for a Florida beach vacation (or any beach!)
• What to pack for snorkeling in the Florida Keys (or any snorkeling spot!)

STAY SAFE AT THE BEACH IF THERE’S A RED BEACH FLAG!