Full Notification

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
600 PM EDT FRI AUG 19 2016
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND RAPIDS HAS ISSUED A BEACH
HAZARDS STATEMENT...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT.

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

* STRONG STRUCTURAL CURRENTS EXPECTED ON SOUTH FACING PIERS
ESPECIALLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* STRONG LONGSHORE CURRENTS POSSIBLE.

* RIP CURRENTS EXPECTED. MOSTLY LIKELY ON SUNDAY.

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

BEACHES WITH PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS TODAY INCLUDE...

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

* OVERVIEW/POTENTIAL IMPACTS...AN UNUSUALLY STRONG STORM WILL
IMPACT LAKE MICHIGAN THIS WEEKEND. SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE BY
SATURDAY AFTERNOON TO 20 TO 30 KNOTS. THIS WILL BUILD WAVES TO 3
TO 5 FEET. WINDS WILL TURN TO THE WEST NORTHWEST SATURDAY NIGHT
AND MAY BRIEFLY APPROACH GALE FORCE TO 35 KNOTS. SUNDAY WILL SEE
A CONTINUATION OF HIGH WINDS AND WAVES.

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 DEEP WATER.