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Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana

000
NOUS43 KIWX 041138
PNSIWX
INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-
005-015-016-024-025-051130-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
737 AM EDT TUE JUN 4 2013

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

HIGH WAVES POSE SEVERAL DANGERS TO SWIMMERS AT LAPORTE AND BERRIEN
COUNTY LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES. FIRST... HIGH WAVES WILL CAUSE PEOPLE
IN THE WATER TO BECOME FATIGUED. LARGE WAVES ARE VERY POWERFUL AND
CAN PUSH A PERSON OFF A SANDBAR AND INTO DEEPER WATER... REQUIRING
THEM TO SWIM THROUGH A RAPID SUCCESSION OF WAVES TO GET BACK TO MORE
SHALLOW WATER.

ALSO... HIGH WAVES RESULT IN STRONG RIP CURRENTS AND STRONG
STRUCTURAL CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE STRONG CHANNELS OF WATER THAT
FORM RAPIDLY AND FLOW QUICKLY AWAY FROM SHORE THROUGH BREAKS OR
LOW SPOTS IN THE SANDBAR. STRUCTURAL CURRENTS ARE STRONG CURRENTS
WHICH FREQUENTLY FLOW ALONG PIERS AND JETTIES TOWARD DEEPER WATER
OFFSHORE.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA OFFICE ISSUES SURF
ZONE FORECASTS FOR THE LAPORTE AND BERRIEN COUNTY LAKE MICHIGAN
SHORELINE DURING THE SUMMER SWIM SEASON (LATE MAY THROUGH THE END OF
SEPTEMBER). IN ADDITION... LAKESHORE HAZARD MESSAGES (BEACH HAZARD
STATEMENTS) ARE ISSUED OVER THE SUMMER ON DAYS WHEN DANGEROUS
SWIMMING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED (THE BEACH HAZARD STATEMENT HAS
REPLACED THE RIP CURRENT STATEMENT IN ORDER TO ADDRESS VARIOUS
BEACH HAZARDS). SEE THE SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE AT...
WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIFICATION/SCN13-33BHS_EXPANSION.HTM FOR
MORE DETAILS ON THIS TRANSITION.

PEOPLE HEADING TO THE LAPORTE AND BERRIEN COUNTY LAKE MICHIGAN
BEACHES THIS SUMMER SHOULD...

1. CHECK WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO TO SEE IF ANY
BEACH HAZARD STATEMENTS ARE IN EFFECT... AND IF THEY ARE... PLAN TO
STAY OUT OF THE WATER ON THAT DAY.

2. SWIM ON LIFEGUARDED BEACHES WHEN POSSIBLE.

3. REFER TO LOCAL BEACH OFFICIALS SWIMMING WARNING FLAGS FOR THE
LATEST INFORMATION BEFORE GOING INTO LAKE MICHIGAN WATERS (FLAG
DEFINITIONS... GREEN: OK TO SWIM... YELLOW: CAUTION IS URGED...
RED: HAZARDOUS TO SWIM).

SWIMMING AT LAPORTE AND BERRIEN COUNTY LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES IS A
WONDERFUL PART OF LIVING OR VISITING THIS AREA... BUT ON DAYS
WHEN WAVES ARE HIGH... IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY AND ONE
THAT SHOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL THE WAVES SUBSIDE. PLEASE STAY
INFORMED AND SAFE THIS SUMMER... AND ENJOY THE BEACHES!

$$