CFWCHS

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1041 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2010

GAZ117-119-139-141-SCZ048>051-181045-
/O.CON.KCHS.RP.S.0007.100918T1200Z-100919T0000Z/
COASTAL BRYAN-COASTAL CHATHAM-COASTAL LIBERTY-COASTAL MCINTOSH-
BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER-
1041 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2010

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT SATURDAY
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...

LONG PERIOD SWELLS BEING GENERATED BY DISTANT HURRICANE IGOR WILL
IMPACT THE BEACHES OF SOUTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTH
COASTAL GEORGIA SATURDAY. THESE SWELLS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS
THAT WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRONG AND
POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS. NO ONE SHOULD ENTER
THE SURF WHEN THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS.

AN ELEVATED HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK AS HURRICANE IGOR PASSES WELL TO THE EAST OF THE AREA.

IN ADDITION...AREAS OF BEACH EROSION MAY OCCUR...ESPECIALLY
AROUND TIMES OF HIGH TIDE.

LOCATIONS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO BEACH EROSION INCLUDE...BUT
ARE NOT LIMITED TO...WILD DUNES...FOLLY BEACH...EDISTO BEACH...
HUNTING ISLAND...FRIPP ISLAND...TYBEE ISLAND...SAINT CATHERINES
ISLAND AND SAPELO ISLAND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...
JETTIES AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH
PATROL. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM
AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE
FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG
SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR THE
LATEST FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON.

PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
NEW RIP CURRENT HAZARD:

 HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SURVEY/NWS-SURVEY.PHP?CODE=RCVTECCHM

&&

$$