Beach Advisories Posted as Louisiana Readies for Spring Break

Students at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge have just one more week of classes before they will embark on a right of college passage, spring break. Spring Break at LSU begins this weekend. Students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and McNeese State won't take their Easter/Spring Break until much later in the month.

For many Louisiana students, the direction to head during Spring Break is east. This carries you to the beaches of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. While Alabama and Florida get most of the publicity for their beaches the Mississippi Gulf Coast has certainly stepped up its game. There is a lot to do onshore on the Mississippi Gulf Coast but as far as hitting the beach goes in the near future, you might want to postpone getting into the water.

Mississippi's Department of Environmental Quality has posted advisories for four popular beaches along that state's coastline. The beaches are not closed but authorities are discouraging swimming and bathing in the water at Waveland Beach from Oak Boulevard to Favre Street. An advisory is posted for Bay St. Louis Beach from Box Culverat east to Ballantine Street. In Pass Christian Central Beach from Henderson Avenue to Hier Avenue has an advisory as does Long Beach from Oak Garden Avenue to Girard Avenue.

The beaches marked by the orange flags are where the advisories have been posted. Looking further to the east down I-10 toward the beaches of Alabama.

What Are Spring Break Beach Conditions in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach?

There have not been any advisories posted. However, the Alabama Beach Monitoring Program updates the conditions of beaches and the waters surrounding those beaches. So you can always check water conditions each day before you decide on if and when you'll hit the beach.

Take a look at the graphic above, which is the Rip Current Forecast. It's issued daily by the National Weather Service Office that serves Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida. Rip Current conditions are expected to build into the area by mid-week. We should know more about how the ocean will be behaving for the weekend by Wednesday or Thursday.

What Are Spring Break Beach Conditions in Pensacola and Destin?

The Florida Beach Monitoring Program is rather extensive as you might imagine. With so many miles of coastline to monitor the beach watch program is broken down into several sections. The one we have highlighted focuses on the beaches of the Florida Panhandle around Pensacola. 

Several beaches are reporting "poor conditions" regarding the presence of certain bacteria. Again we should note that the beaches are not closed nor has there been an official advisory posted. But you should know that the water conditions are those beaches are not the most conducive for swimming.