Are Florida's waters safe to swim in? What to know before going to the beach this holiday weekend

For many Floridians, packing up and heading to the beach is the ideal way to spend Labor Day weekend.

But after a rainy summer and recent storms, officials are warning of potential health risks that can make some beaches more dangerous to swim in than others.

So before jumping into the water, here's a look at some things to watch out for as you make your way to the shoreline this weekend, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Fecal bacteria contamination

People who come into contact with contaminated water, whether ingested while swimming or by entering the skin through a cut or sore, may experience gastrointestinal illness, human disease, infections or rashes, according to the FDOH.

Runoff from rain and storms can result in higher levels of water contamination — a trend we've seen throughout the month of August.

This occurs when rain overloads sewers and untreated wastewater, bringing bacteria to beaches and into oceans.

Many fecal bacteria, like enterococci, thrive in Florida’s warm waters, which have reached record-high temperatures this summer.

Florida's coastal counties, like Broward and Miami-Dade, regularly test beaches for dangerous bacteria levels as part of the Healthy Beaches program. 

During the month of August, the quality of several Miami-Dade County beaches like Haulover Beach, Key Biscayne Beach and Crandon tested "poor" at some point.

The most recent swimming advisory was for Crandon Park North and South, which was issued on Aug. 24. Health officials asked the public to avoid swimming in the area and reported that several consecutive water samples “did not meet the recreational water quality standard for enterococci.”

The no-swim advisory was later lifted on Aug. 29 after testing revealed that the water quality returned to "good."

While these beaches have since been deemed safe, it is important to note that the waters were last tested on Aug. 28, before Hurricane Idalia brought heavy rains to South Florida.

Click here for a breakdown of the latest recent test results for Florida's beaches in each coastal county.

In order to prevent coming into contact with contaminated water, experts recommend avoiding swimming near piers or jetties where there is less water circulation.

Flesh-eating bacteria

Another potential threat beachgoers should be aware of in Florida is Vibrio vulnificus — rare species of so-called "flesh-eating" bacteria found in raw shellfish or seawater.

The dangerous strain of vibrio bacteria has been linked to five deaths in Florida this year, state health officials said.

A total of 26 cases of the deadly infection, called necrotizing fasciitis, have been confirmed statewide this year, including one in Broward. No cases have been reported this year in Miami-Dade.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a skin infection caused by rare bacteria that enter the body through a break in the skin.

Marine wildlife

Another potential threat to watch out for at the beach this weekend is wildlife.

When major storms and hurricanes strike an area, they sometimes bring in marine life from the Atlantic closer to our shores.

In the wake of the strong wind gusts from Hurricane Idalia, beachgoers should be careful about potentially dangerous encounters with wildlife.

Rip currents

Rip currents are another concern that beachgoers should be aware of. Strong rip currents increase the risk of drowning.

According to the National Weather Service, the risk for rip currents is moderate or high for all South Florida beaches and most of the remainder of the state.

As of Friday, the risk was high on Florida’s entire east coast and moderate in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

For the latest update on rip current risks at Florida's beaches, click here.