Rip definition
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Every beach with breaking waves, including beaches on large lakes like Lake Superior in North America, can develop rip currents. Beaches without breaking waves, like those on most lakes or rivers, do not have rip currents. Once past the obstacle (between the sandbars or piers), a rip current loses pressure and stops flowing. Rip currents are also usually more calm-looking than the surrounding water. This sometimes makes rip currents easy to spot as dark or muddy lines running from the beach out toward the ocean. A rip current flows more quickly than the water on either side of it, and may stir up sediment from the beach. The stream of water, now a rip current, rushes to the opening, just like water down a drain. The water from these waves, called feeder waves, runs along the shore until it finds an opening around theobstacle. Such underwater obstacles block waves from washing directly back to sea. Rip currents can form in a gap between sandbars, piers, or parts of a reef. Rip currents often form around these parts of a beachs topography. Beach topography also includes the area within the water, like sandbars, piers, and reefs. A beachs topography includes the area outside the water, such as dunes or marshes. Rip currents can occur in areas with hard-bottom (rocky) or soft-bottom ( sand or silt) beach topography. Topography is the surface features of an area. Rip Current Formation Rip currents are formed by a beachs topography. Rip currents can occur on almost any beach with breaking waves. Strong tides, especially low tides, can contribute to the strength of a rip current, but rip currents really have nothing to do with tides. Rip currents are also known as rip tides. Rip currents run along the surface of the water, and do not pose the same hazard.
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Undertows are also currents, but they run along the ocean floor and can pull beachgoers beneath the waters surface. Rip currents are sometimes confused with undertows. The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) estimates that 80 percent of its rescues are related to rip currents. Rip currents are one of the most dangerous natural hazards in the world. They can move at 8 kilometers (5 miles) per hour. They can be more than 45 meters (150 feet) wide, but most are less than 9 meters (30 feet). A rip current is a strong flow of water running from a beach back to the open ocean, sea, or lake.