Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana

000
NOUS43 KIWX 051755
PNSIWX
INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-
005-015-016-024-025-061800-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
155 PM EDT WED JUN 5 2013 /1255 PM CDT WED JUN 5 2013/

...THIS IS BEACH HAZARDS AWARENESS WEEK...

SWIMMERS AND WADERS IN LARGE BODIES OF WATER SUCH AS THE GREAT LAKES SHOULD
ALWAYS BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT ENTERING THE WATER...ESPECIALLY ON DAYS
WHEN WAVES ARE BREAKING NEAR THE SHORELINE.

WIND DRIVEN WAVES CAUSE WATER TO PILE UP BETWEEN SAND BARS AND THE
BEACH.  THE WATER RETURNS BACK TO THE OPEN WATER THROUGH CHANNELS
THAT OPEN UP IN THE SAND BAR.  THESE CHANNELS ARE CURRENTS OF WATER
THAT CAN FORCE A SWIMMER OUT TO OPEN WATER.

RIP CURRENTS CAN ALSO FORM ALONG STRUCTURES EXTENDING OUT INTO THE
OPEN WATERS AWAY FROM THE SURF ZONE. WATER TENDS TO DEFLECT ALONG THE
STRUCTURE AND CREATES A CURRENT THAT TRAVELS ALONG THE STRUCTURE OUT
TO OPEN WATER.  THESE CURRENTS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE THE CHURNING
WATER IN THE WAVE ACTION.  NEVER JUMP INTO THE WATER ALONG A
STRUCTURE SUCH AS A PIER.

THERE ARE CLUES THAT ONE CAN LOOK FOR TO DETERMINE WHETHER A RIP
CURRENT HAS DEVELOPED THROUGH A SAND BAR.  LOOK FOR A CHANNEL OF
CHURNING OR CHOPPY WATER. THE CURRENTS ARE SOMETIMES MARKED BY A
DIFFERENCE IN COLOR FROM AIR BUBBLES IN THE WATER. LOOK FOR A LINE
OF FOAM...SEAWEED OR DEBRIS FROM MUD MIXING WITH THE WATER MOVING
TOWARD OPEN WATER. A BREAK IN THE INCOMING WAVE PATTERN IS ANOTHER
INDICATOR OF A POSSIBLE RIP CURRENT.

GENERALLY IN THE GREAT LAKES...WHENEVER WAVES ARE PRESENT...RIP
CURRENTS ARE POSSIBLE... AND THE HIGHER THE WAVES... THE GREATER THE
RISK.

TO DETERMINE THE SWIMMING RISK... CHECK THE SURF ZONE FORECAST ON
WEATHER.GOV/IWX BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE BEACH.

IN THE SURF ZONE FORECAST...

A LOW RISK OF SWIMMING HAZARDS IMPLIES THAT LARGE WAVES AND
STRONG CURRENTS ARE NOT EXPECTED ALONG THE SHORE.

A MODERATE RISK OF SWIMMING HAZARDS IMPLIES THAT LARGE WAVES AND
STRONG CURRENTS ARE LIKELY ALONG THE SHORE. ONLY EXPERIENCED
SWIMMERS SHOULD CONSIDER ENTERING THE WATER.

A HIGH RISK OF SWIMMING HAZARDS MEANS THAT DANGEROUS WAVES AND
CURRENTS ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE SHORE. SWIMMING CONDITIONS MAY BE
LIFE THREATENING TO ANYONE ENTERING THE WATER.

ALSO FOR GREATEST BEACH SAFETY... SWIM ON LIFEGUARDED BEACHES
WHENEVER POSSIBLE... AND HEED WARNING FLAGS POSTED BY LOCAL OFFICIALS.

$$