Full Notification

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

* 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...

For later tonight and early Friday South Beach in South Haven...
Grand Haven State Park... Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon.

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

* Overview/potential impacts...Southerly winds and waves will increase this evening and will linger into Friday morning. These winds will impact the southern side of structures. Winds will switch to the north on Friday, and then impact the northern side of structures. Waves of 3 to 5 feet will also cause hazards, along with longshore currents due to the winds and waves coming down the length of the lake.

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.