MOREHEAD CITY — The National Weather Service is warning of a high risk for dangerous rip currents sparked by Tropical Storm Leslie on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The weather service office in Morehead City said rip currents sparked by Leslie are possible Wednesday in Dare, Hyde, Onslow and Carteret counties.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from shore. They occur most often at low spots or breaks in sandbars.

Anyone caught in a rip current should swim parallel to the shore until they are able to escape and swim in to the beach.

The tropical storm itself is heading toward Bermuda.