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Hurricane Isaias: Hurricane and Storm Surge Warnings for coastal Baldwin County. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach urge non-residents to leave. Storm desk →NHC Advisory 6, 11 p.m. ET Wed., Oct. 7 (10 p.m. CT)

Sugar Sand Line
Fort Morgan to the state line.
Flags (official report, opens in a new tab)

Beaches

Beach day, done right

Today's flag, rip-current risk and tides come straight from the official sources below. We never post a flag color as current. Check before every swim.

Information as of Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, 10:30 p.m. CT.

Isaias: stay out of the Gulf

The Baldwin County sheriff urged everyone to stay out of Gulf waters through at least Sunday; crews may not be able to make water rescues during or right after the storm.

Go to the Isaias storm desk →

Source: al.com Subscription

Live conditions

Today's beach flag (opens in a new tab)Rip current forecast (opens in a new tab)

By phone or text

  • Gulf Shores beach conditions: 251-968-SURF (7873)
  • Orange Beach beach conditions: 251-981-SURF (7873)
  • Daily flag text alerts: Text ALBEACHES to 888777 (text STOP to end)

Source: gulfshores.com

What the flags mean

The beach warning flags flown in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. This explains the system; it is not today's flag.

  • Yellow: Medium hazard

    Moderate surf and/or currents.

  • Purple: Marine pests present

    Jellyfish or other stinging marine life. Exercise caution.

  • Red: High hazard

    High surf and/or strong currents. The tourism bureau asks swimmers to stay on shore.

  • Double red: Water closed to the public

    It is illegal to enter the Gulf within the city limits of Gulf Shores or Orange Beach when two red flags fly.

Source: gulfshores.com + 2 more

  • Lifeguard towers are staffed March through October. From November through February, Gulf Shores runs beach patrols but the towers are not staffed.
  • The absence of red flags does not mean the water is safe. Swim near a lifeguard, never swim alone, and stay away from piers, jetties and people fishing.
  • Leave Only Footprints: everything you bring to the beach has to leave with you at the end of the day.

Rip currents

How to spot one

  • Rip currents are most common when waves break straight onto the beach rather than at an angle.
  • Look for a gap in the breaking waves: a small patch of calm-looking water surrounded by waves is often a rip.
  • Look for discolored, sandy water flowing away from shore.
  • Rips are common near sandbars, piers, pilings and jetties.

If you're caught

  1. Stay calm. Fighting the current will wear you out.
  2. Swim parallel to the shoreline until you're out of the current, then angle back toward shore.
  3. If you can't swim out of it, float or tread water. When the current eases, swim at an angle toward shore.
  4. If you can't reach shore, face the beach and call or wave for help.
  5. To help someone else, call 911 first, then get a lifeguard. If none is there, shout directions or throw something that floats.

Source: weather.gov

Public beach accesses

Gulf Shores

Orange Beach

Fort Morgan

Beach parking

Gulf Shores city lots

  • Paid by the ParkMobile app; paid parking runs March 1 through Nov. 30.
  • Rates effective July 1, 2026, per the city: $2 an hour north of Beach Blvd., $3 an hour south of Beach Blvd., $4 an hour overnight (11 p.m. to 6 a.m.).
  • Applies at Gulf Place, West Gulf Place, Lagoon Pass Park, public parking north of Hwy. 182 from East 3rd St. to West 2nd St., and designated spots on West 5th, 6th, 10th and 13th streets.
  • East Gulf Place is resident-only. Fines are $75 per violation plus $75 every 24 hours; cars can be towed or booted.
  • No overnight parking after 2 a.m. on city right-of-way, public property or at Lagoon Pass Park.

Source: gulfshoresal.gov

Gulf State Park accesses (Gulf Shores and Orange Beach)

  • Applies at the Pier, the Beach Pavilion, Romar Beach, Cotton Bayou, Alabama Point East and Shell Beach.
  • $15 all day for a personal vehicle; $35 for vehicles with trailers, buses or large RVs (Pavilion and Pier only). One daily pass covers every park beach access that day.
  • Pay at the kiosks (cash or card, no change given) or by QR code with your plate number.
  • No overnight parking at any Gulf State Park beach access.

Source: alapark.com + 1 more

Sources

  1. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism: Beach report, flags and safety (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  2. City of Gulf Shores: Beach safety (opens in a new tab) · gulfshoresal.gov
  3. City of Orange Beach: Beach safety / Molly's Patrol (opens in a new tab) · orangebeachal.gov
  4. National Weather Service: Rip current safety (opens in a new tab) · weather.gov
  5. NWS Mobile: Beach forecast (rip current risk and surf) (opens in a new tab) · weather.gov
  6. NWS Mobile: Surf zone forecast (text) (opens in a new tab) · forecast.weather.gov
  7. NWS Mobile: Marine forecasts (opens in a new tab) · weather.gov
  8. NWS Mobile: Coastal waters forecast (text) (opens in a new tab) · forecast.weather.gov
  9. NOAA Tides & Currents: Gulf State Park Pier (8731269) tide predictions (opens in a new tab) · tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov
  10. NOAA Tides & Currents: Alabama Point (8730667) tide predictions (opens in a new tab) · tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov
  11. NOAA Tides & Currents: Mobile Point, Fort Morgan (8734635) tide predictions (opens in a new tab) · tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov
  12. Gulf Place on gulfshores.com (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  13. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism: Public beach accesses (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  14. Alabama State Parks: Gulf State Park beaches and parking (opens in a new tab) · alapark.com
  15. Alabama State Parks: Gulf State Park Pier (opens in a new tab) · alapark.com
  16. Lagoon Pass on gulfshores.com (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  17. 6th Street access on gulfshores.com (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  18. 10th Street access on gulfshores.com (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  19. 12th Street access on gulfshores.com (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  20. Branyon Beach on gulfshores.com (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  21. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) · fws.gov
  22. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism: Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) · gulfshores.com
  23. City of Gulf Shores: Beach parking (opens in a new tab) · gulfshoresal.gov
  24. City of Orange Beach: State beach access parking (opens in a new tab) · orangebeachal.gov

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