What is the difference between a rip current and a rip tide?

Q: What is the difference between a rip tide and a rip current?

A: Like tidal waves (tsunami) , rip tides are a misnomer and have nothing to do with the tides. Rip tides are more correctly called rip currents. Perhaps it is because they occur suddenly (like incoming tide) that rip currents have incorrectly been called rip tides.

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