Full Notification

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
406 AM EDT THU AUG 20 2015
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

* HIGH WAVE ACTION...STRONG CURRENTS AND DANGEROUS SWIMMING
CONDITIONS EXPECTED.

* STRONG STRUCTURAL CURRENTS EXPECTED.

* STRONG LONGSHORE CURRENTS EXPECTED.

* RIP CURRENTS EXPECTED.

* LOCATION...BEACHES FROM ST. JOSEPH TO MANISTEE.

BEACHES WITH PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS INCLUDE...

SOUTH BEACH IN SOUTH HAVEN...
GRAND HAVEN STATE PARK...
PERE MARQUETTE PARK IN MUSKEGON...

* OVERVIEW/POTENTIAL IMPACTS...WAVES OF 5 TO 9 FEET ARE EXPECTED
TODAY. THESE WAVES WILL POSE A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION TO
ANYONE ENTERING THE WATER. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30
MPH ARE EXPECTED TODAY...GRADUALLY SUBSIDING THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT. WAVES WILL SUBSIDE TO 3 TO 6 FEET TOWARDS MIDNIGHT
AND TO 2 TO 4 FEET TOWARDS FRIDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HIGH WAVE ACTION MAKES SWIMMING DIFFICULT AND CAN TIRE EVEN A
STRONG SWIMMER QUICKLY.

STRUCTURAL CURRENTS FORM ALONG PIERS WHERE LONGSHORE CURRENTS AND
WAVE ACTION FLOW INTO THE STRUCTURE. STRUCTURAL CURRENTS CAN
SWEEP YOU OUT INTO DEEPER WATER ALONG THE PIER STRUCTURE.

A LONGSHORE CURRENT IS A LAKE CURRENT THAT MOVES PARALLEL TO
SHORE. LONGSHORE CURRENTS CAN BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT
SWIMMERS FROM BEING ABLE TO KEEP THEIR FEET ON THE BOTTOM...
MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO RETURN TO SHORE.

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN
SANDBARS. RIP CURRENTS CAN SWEEP YOU INTO DEEPER WATER.