Good morning! Here's your surf zone forecast for the Florida panhandle beaches, brought to you by the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.

We're looking at moderate rip current risk across most area beaches today, with one notable exception on the horizon. State Park beaches in Gulf County are going to see things heating up come Monday, where a high risk of rip currents is expected as southwesterly winds kick in and send surf heights climbing to around two feet.

Let's start with South Walton beaches, including Sandestin, Santa Rosa Beach, and Turquoise Beach. Today you're looking at moderate rip currents with surf right around one foot. The water's sitting at a refreshing sixty six degrees, and you'll want to slather on that sunscreen because the UV index is very high under sunny skies. Expect highs in the lower seventies with southwest winds around ten miles per hour. High tide at Panama City comes in at twelve fourteen in the afternoon. As we move into Monday, conditions stay pretty consistent with moderate rip currents and one foot surf, though the winds shift to the west. Tuesday through Thursday continue the moderate rip current trend with mostly sunny skies, light winds, and highs hovering in the upper sixties to lower seventies.

Over at the Coastal Bay area, home to Panama City Beach and Magnolia Beach, today's forecast mirrors South Walton almost perfectly. Moderate rip currents, one foot surf, very high UV index, sunny skies, and that same sixty six degree water temperature. Southwest winds around ten miles per hour. Monday brings slightly stronger west winds at ten to fifteen miles per hour, but the rip current risk stays moderate and surf remains around one foot. The extended outlook for Tuesday through Thursday looks quiet with moderate rip currents, mostly sunny conditions, and comfortable temperatures.

Now here's where things get interesting. The Coastal Gulf area, including Saint Joe Beach and the State Park beaches, is the story to watch. Today, all beach exposures show moderate rip currents with one foot surf. Water temperature drops slightly to sixty five degrees, but the sunny skies and lower seventies temperatures keep things pleasant. West winds are minimal at five to ten miles per hour.

But come Monday, the State Park beaches are going to demand your attention and respect. We're upgrading that rip current risk to high, meaning life threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone. Surf heights will surge to around two feet, the highest of the forecast period. This makes Monday a day for experienced swimmers and surfers only. West winds will pick up to ten to fifteen miles per hour, fueling those bigger waves. West and south facing beaches stay moderate with one foot surf, but those State Park beaches are definitely the star of this forecast.

Finally, over at Coastal Franklin near Apalachicola, today brings moderate rip currents and one foot surf under sunny skies with water at sixty four degrees. Southwest wind

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.