10/12/2026
Please be aware of the following hazards you may encounter on our beaches and in the water post hurricane!
RED AND PURPLE FLAGS! 10/12/26
South Walton Fire District lifeguards are changing beach flags to single red and purple on Monday, October 12. We are certainly excited to see a bright and sunny start to this week.
The primary hazards we are watching out for today include:
-Unknown debris fields in the water and on the sand. There may be places along the beach and coastal dune lakes where it is hard to see debris, as it could be buried within the sand or under the water. Please use caution and watch where you step.
-Remaining rip currents due to the volume of water Hurricane Isaias brought on shore. Hurricanes like what we experienced carve up our sandbars, creating numerous inshore holes. We expect rip currents to be present even without large waves or high surf. Weak swimmers should stay on shore.
-Isaias also damaged and/or destroyed many of our beach flag poles and walkovers. As pictured below in Grayton Beach, the flag pole is leaning sideways. An absence of beach flags at a beach access does not mean the water is safe to swim. Please text SAFETY to 31279 for daily updates on flag conditions.
Lifeguards will rove the beaches Monday as towers are still not present on the beach due to operational necessity. However, we are fully staffed and on-duty 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., ready to handle all beach-related emergencies and calls. Please let our team know how they can help.
Stay safe today and thank you for the support!
Walton County Emergency Management Walton County Sheriff's Office, Florida 30A SoWal Grayton Beach Visit South Walton NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center
