Bay County and Panama City Beach maintain a flag warning system which alerts swimmers when water conditions have become dangerous. Red flags are used to indicate a high hazard which means rip currents are strong and can present significant danger to swimmers. When red flags are flying swimmers are urged to use extreme caution when entering the water. When double red flags are raised, the Gulf of Mexico is closed to the public. Local officials constantly monitor water conditions. Once it has been determined that water conditions have become safe for swimmers, the flags will be changed accordingly. Read More