Dangerous surf, rip currents and potentially life-threatening water conditions are expected to hit Volusia County beaches this weekend — and officials want beachgoers to know before they ever step into the water.

Volusia Beach Safety is launching a new color-coded flag warning system at lifeguard towers along the beach, designed to alert swimmers to hazardous conditions more quickly and clearly than before.

“Starting tomorrow, we will be flying a red and or a yellow flag to indicate what the surf is doing,” said Hailey Monahan, a Volusia Beach Safety lifeguard.

The new system replaces the orange flag that has traditionally flown atop lifeguard stands to indicate a staffed tower. Now, those flags will carry a direct safety message. Red flags signal dangerous rip currents or hazardous water conditions, yellow flags indicate moderate surf, and purple flags warn of dangerous marine life in the water.

“We just feel like by showing the public more of what color flag it is today, could potentially help keep people safer,” Monahan said.

Flags will be posted at all lifeguard towers along the beach and can change throughout the day as conditions shift. Officials say the goal is to get warnings in front of beachgoers faster — particularly those who may not know to look up at the larger control towers for guidance.

Volusia Beach Safety has reported record numbers of rescues in recent years, driven largely by rip currents and rough surf. Officials say one of the greatest challenges is that dangerous rip currents don’t always look dangerous — they can hide beneath seemingly calm water.

“Most of our visitors at our beach are tourists. They’re not from here. They’re not really aware of the different surf conditions. So by flying a flag, it could catch the people’s eye and be like, oh, what is that?” Monahan said.

That message is resonating with visitors. Kevin, a tourist visiting with his son from Pittsburgh during what is shaping up to be a rough beach weekend, said the added warning is a welcome one.

“Definitely for the kids. Just for someone having an extra eye on them. I think it’s a really good idea,” Kevin said.

Beyond the flags, Volusia Beach Safety is encouraging swimmers to always enter the water in front of a staffed lifeguard tower. Officials also recommend downloading the Volusia Beach app, which shows users the exact locations of lifeguard setups each day.