The Met Office has issued Yellow weather warnings for the majority of the UK, including the entirety of Wales’ coastline, as this weekend promises rainy and windy conditions. RNLI lifeguards are warning members of the public to be extra cautious near open water due to changeable sea conditions.

Weather forecasts predict that by Friday afternoon, locations all around the Welsh coast including Pembrokeshire, Swansea and Denbighshire will be hit by strong winds and thundery showers. The bad weather is set to continue on Saturday, and RNLI lifeguards warn members of the public to take extra care on the coast this weekend.

RNLI lifeguards patrol over 240 beaches around the UK and Channel Islands, with thirty Lifeguarded beaches around the Welsh coast, which operate seven days a week during the summer holidays. There are lifeguarded beaches in Denbighshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Swansea and Bridgend and you can find your nearest here:https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeguarded-beaches

RNLI lifeguards strongly recommend that members of the public don’t go swimming in the sea this weekend, as strong winds can create large waves and changing currents, which can cause even strong swimmers to struggle. The RNLI encourages the public to leave their inflatables at home, as the strong winds that are predicted can drag them far out to sea.

Lifeguard Supervisor in South Pembrokeshire Adam Pitman, said, ‘We recommend that members of the public don’t plan a day down at the beach this weekend, as we are expecting some bad weather, and therefore unpredictable sea conditions. If you do go out to sea at all, make sure that you carry a means of calling for help, and if you see someone else in trouble, call 999 and ask for the coastguard.’

If you do decide to go to the beach, make sure you visit a lifeguarded one, and only swim between the red and yellow flags, which is the area most closely monitored by lifeguards. RNLI lifeguards assess the weather and sea conditions throughout the day and change the flags on the beach accordingly.

If you see a red flag at a lifeguarded beach, do not enter the water, as it is unsafe for any water activities. You might see an orange windsock at an RNLI lifeguarded beach this weekend, which signals that there are offshore or strong winds and inflatables should not be used. For a detailed breakdown of all the different flags you might find at the beach, visit:https://rnli.org/safety/beach-safety