FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The rip current risk was high again Thursday due to the windy weather.
"I love the ocean, but not today," Julie Locke, who is visiting from Boston, said.
Red flags were flying at the lifeguard towers across South Florida, warning beachgoers of the high surf and rip currents.
"The longer the rip currents work, the bigger they get," Lt. Gio Serrano, of Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, said.
The National Weather Service issued an alert for coastlines stretching across Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
According to Local 10 News meteorologist Liz Horton, when heavy winds push all that water ashore, it has to go somewhere.
"So, eventually, we get these narrow tunnels escaping, going out from shore -- these powerful currents that go out -- and eventually take people pretty far off shore," she said.
The high winds also raised concern for Portuguese man o' war floating ashore.
"The tentacles can go upwards of 15 feet long," Serrano said. "They stick to you, they start stinging like a bee or wasp. It's not just the one sting. It's a constant stinging."
That's all some folks needed to hear.
"We're still having fun -- sand castle day. Not so much a water day," said Mariela FitzPatrick, who is visiting from Orlando.
The high surf is expected to continue through Friday night.