Full Notification

BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids has issued a Beach
Hazards Statement...which is in effect from Friday morning
through Saturday afternoon.

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

* STRONG STRUCTURAL CURRENTS EXPECTED.

* STRONG LONGSHORE CURRENTS EXPECTED.

* RIP CURRENTS POSSIBLE.

* 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...South winds will increase to 15 to
25 mph Friday and waves will build to 4 to 8 feet. Strong
longshore currents and structural currents are expected to
develop. South facing piers will be particularly dangerous.
Additionally, the high waves will overtop the piers due to high
water levels.

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.