CFWCHS

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
457 AM EDT WED SEP 1 2010

...DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND LARGE SURF EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY
AS MAJOR HURRICANE EARL PASSES OFFSHORE...

GAZ117-119-139-141-SCZ048>051-011700-
/O.CON.KCHS.SU.Y.0003.100902T0400Z-100903T1000Z/
/O.CON.KCHS.RP.S.0005.100901T1200Z-100902T0000Z/
COASTAL BRYAN-COASTAL CHATHAM-COASTAL LIBERTY-COASTAL MCINTOSH-
BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER-
457 AM EDT WED SEP 1 2010

...RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS EVENING...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
6 AM EDT FRIDAY...

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
6 AM EDT FRIDAY.

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR THE BEACHES OF SOUTH
COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTH COASTAL GEORGIA TODAY.

LARGE LONG PERIOD SWELLS BEING GENERATED BY MAJOR HURRICANE EARL
WILL REACH THE BEACHES OF SOUTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTH
COASTAL GEORGIA TODAY. 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 RISK FOR
STRONG RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY AS HURRICANE
EARL PASSES EAST OF THE REGION.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH SURF
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM EDT
FRIDAY.

LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD TONIGHT AND PEAK
THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS EARL PASSES WELL OFFSHORE. BREAKERS AS HIGH
AS 6 TO 9 FEET...LOCALLY HIGHER AT TIMES...CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG
THE BEACHES OF SOUTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTH COASTAL
GEORGIA BEGINNING TONIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING. BREAKERS OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL MAKE FOR EXTREMELY
HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ALONG THE BEACHES WITH LARGE AND POWERFUL
BATTERING WAVES LIKELY PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION.
MARINERS SHOULD ALSO USE EXTREME CAUTION...ESPECIALLY NEAR
INLETS...CUTS AND BAYS AS STRONG BREAKING WAVES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO
CAPSIZE BOATS. THIS INCLUDES THE ENTRANCE TO THE CHARLESTON
HARBOR.

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...

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.

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY MEANS THAT HIGH SURF WILL AFFECT BEACHES IN
THE ADVISORY AREA...PRODUCING DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND BEACH
EROSION.

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.

&&

$$