GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -A rip current, sometimes incorrectly called a rip tide, is a localized current that flows away from the shoreline toward the ocean, perpendicular or at an acute angle to the shoreline. It usually breaks up not far from shore and is generally not more than 25 meters (80 feet) wide.

Detailed explanation-2: -Rip currents form when waves break near the shoreline, piling up water between the breaking waves and the beach. One of the ways this water returns to sea is to form a rip current, a narrow stream of water moving swiftly away from shore, often perpendicular to the shoreline.

Detailed explanation-3: -rip current, also called riptide, narrow jetlike stream of water that flows sporadically seaward for several minutes, in a direction normal or nearly normal to a beach.

Detailed explanation-4: -Rip currents are strong, narrow, seaward flows of water that extend from close to the shoreline to outside of the surf zone. They are found on almost any beach with breaking waves and act as “rivers of the sea, ” moving sand, marine organisms, and other material offshore (see pictures below).

Detailed explanation-5: -Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore. They typically extend from the shoreline, through the surf zone, and past the line of breaking waves. Rip currents can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes.