Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana

000
NOUS43 KIWX 152139
PNSIWX
INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-
005-015-016-024-025-160945-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
539 PM EDT WED MAY 15 2013 /439 PM CDT WED MAY 15 2013/

...LAPORTE AND BERRIEN COUNTY LAKE MICHIGAN BEACH FORECAST SEASON
BEGINS MAY 20TH...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA OFFICE WILL RESUME
ISSUING SURF ZONE FORECASTS FOR THE LAPORTE AND BERRIEN COUNTY LAKE
MICHIGAN SHORELINE FOR THE SUMMER SWIM SEASON ON MONDAY MAY 20TH. IN
ADDITION... LAKESHORE HAZARD MESSAGES (BEACH HAZARD STATEMENTS) WILL
BE ISSUED OVER THE SUMMER ON DAYS WHEN DANGEROUS SWIMMING CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED (THE BEACH HAZARD STATEMENT WILL REPLACE 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 (ALL
LOWER CASE) FOR MORE DETAILS ON THIS TRANSITION.

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.

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!

$$