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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
830 AM EDT SUN JUN 9 2013

...A REVIEW OF BEACH HAZARDS...

THE FOLLOWING IS A BEACH HAZARDS SAFETY MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN RECOGNITION OF BEACH HAZARDS AWARENESS WEEK.

DURING THE PAST WEEK...TOPICS ON WHAT A RIP CURRENT IS...HOW TO
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE DANGERS OF THUNDERSTORMS...AND INFORMATION
ON SUN EXPOSURE HAVE BEEN PRESENTED.

LETS TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THOSE TOPICS AND REVIEW THE INFORMATION
PRESENTED DURING BEACH HAZARDS AWARENESS WEEK...

RIP CURRENTS POSE THE GREATEST RISK TO BEACH VISITORS. ALWAYS SWIM AT
BEACHES WHERE A LIFE GUARD IS PRESENT. KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS THAT
RIP CURRENTS MAY BE PRESENT. RIP CURRENTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR
WHEN WAVES ARE PRESENT ON THE BODY OF WATER. CURRENTS CAN DEVELOP
ALONG PIERS...BRIDGES...BREAK WALLS AND ALONG THE BEACH.

RIP CURRENTS ARE CAUSED BY WATER PILING UP ON THE BEACH OR ALONG A
WALL EXTENDING OUT INTO THE WATER. WATER RETURNS BACK TO THE OPEN
BODY OF WATER THROUGH CHANNELS AND CURRENTS CREATED IN A SAND BAR OR
ALONG A SOLID WALL. NEVER JUMP OFF STRUCTURES OR ENTER THE WATER WHEN
WAVES ARE PRESENT TO AVOID BEING TRAPPED IN A RIP CURRENT. IF CAUGHT
IN A CURRENT...SWIM PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION THE CURRENT IS
MOVING AND THEN BACK TO SHORE AT AN ANGLE.

LARGE WAVES POSE A HAZARD TO BEACH VISITORS BECAUSE A SWIMMER
CAN BECOME QUICKLY EXHAUSTED BY THE POUNDING OF THE WAVES ON THEIR
BODY. NEVER ENTER THE WATER WHEN WAVES ARE PRESENT TO AVOID BECOMING
A DROWNING VICTIM.

THUNDERSTORMS POSE ANOTHER HAZARD TO BEACH VISITORS. LIGHTNING CAN
STRIKE THE BEACH FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM SEVERAL MILES AWAY
WITHOUT WARNING. AS THE SAYING GOES...WHEN THUNDER ROARS...GO
INDOORS. IF YOU ARE AT THE BEACH AND YOU HEAR THUNDER...FIND AN
INDOOR LOCATION FOR SHELTER TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM LIGHTNING.
THUNDERSTORMS CAN ALSO PRODUCE STRONG WINDS THAT CAN TURN ANY
UNSECURED OBJECT ON THE BEACH INTO A FLYING MISSILE.  STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WINDS CAN RACE OUT AHEAD OF THE MAIN THUNDERSTORM AND
ARRIVE AT THE BEACH WELL BEFORE ANY THUNDER IS HEARD.  BE ALERT FOR
DARKENING SKIES ON THE HORIZON AND KNOW THAT A THUNDERSTORM MAY BE
NEARBY. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU SEE A THUNDERSTORM IN THE
DISTANCE.

OVER EXPOSURE TO THE SUN CAN RUIN A FUN DAY AT THE BEACH. THE
ULTRAVIOLET INDEX WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO HELP CITIZENS DETERMINE
THEIR LEVEL OF EXPOSURE TO THE SUN. IF THE INDEX INDICATES A LEVEL
OF ELEVEN PLUS...THEN EXTREME EXPOSURE IS LIKELY. AN INDEX OF ONE
INDICATES A MINIMAL EXPOSURE. BE SURE TO PROTECT YOURSELF BY
USING SUN SCREEN AND COVERING EXPOSED SKIN. NEVER ALLOW YOUR
SKIN TO GET SUN BURNED. USE EXTRA CAUTION NEAR BODIES OF WATER
AND THE BEACH AS THE SUNS RAYS CAN BE REFLECTED BY THE WATER
AND SAND.

THIS MESSAGE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BE
SURE TO VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ON THE WEB AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV FOR THE LATEST RIP CURRENT FORECASTS AT AREA BEACHES
AND THE RIP CURRENT SAFETY WEB PAGE AT WWW.RIPCURRENTS.NOAA.GOV.

THIS CONCLUDES THE BEACH HAZARDS AWARENESS WEEK AND THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN CLEVELAND WISHES YOU A SAFE SUMMER ALONG THE
SHORES OF LAKE ERIE OR WHATEVER BODY OF WATER YOU VISIT.

$$

LOMBARDY