Full Notification

The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids has issued a Beach
Hazards Statement...which is in effect from midnight EDT tonight
through Wednesday evening.

* 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.

North Beach in South Haven... Holland State Park... Muskegon
State Park... Mears State Park in Pentwater... Stearns Park in
Ludington.


* OVERVIEW/POTENTIAL IMPACTS...A strong cold front will pass
through the area around midnight turning winds to the northwest
and 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph. Winds will turn more
westerly by mid morning Wednesday. Those strong winds will
result in 5 to 8 foot waves creating dangerous conditions for
swimmers. In addition, water temperatures have dropped off, and
likely will become even colder yet due to the mixing by the
strong winds. That will add yet another hazard to anyone
swimming in the waters of Lake Michigan Wednesday.


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.

&&
WDM

WEATHER.GOV/GRR