PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 
423 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2007

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WILL START THE 
SEASONAL BEACH AND RIP CURRENT FORECAST ON THURSDAY MARCH 15...

WITH THE GRADUAL RETURN OF WARMER AIR AND WATER TEMPERATURES...MORE 
PEOPLE MAY DECIDE ON A TRIP TO THE BEACH. AS A RESULT...THE NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WILL ONCE AGAIN BEGIN ISSUING A SURF 
ZONE OR BEACH FORECAST...AS WELL AS THE RIP CURRENT FORECAST 
STARTING THURSDAY MARCH 15...2007. THE FORECAST WILL THEN CONTINUE 
THROUGH AT LEAST THE END OF OCTOBER.

FORECASTS WILL BE ISSUED AT A MINIMUM OF TWICE A DAY...ONCE AROUND 4 
OR 5 AM...THEN AGAIN AROUND SUNSET IN THE EVENING. HOWEVER...UPDATES 
WILL OCCUR WHEN NECESSARY.

THE EARLY MORNING ISSUANCE WILL BE A FORECAST FOR TODAY AND 
TOMORROW...WHILE THE EVENING FORECAST WILL BE FOR TOMORROW AND THE 
DAY AFTER.

THE FOLLOWING BEACHES ARE INCLUDED IN THE FORECAST...FOR SOUTH 
CAROLINA...HUNTING ISLAND...FRIPP ISLAND...HILTON HEAD 
ISLAND...DAUFUSKIE ISLAND...EDISTO BEACH...CAPE ROMAIN...ISLE OF 
PALMS...SULLIVANS ISLAND...FOLLY BEACH AND KIAWAH ISLAND. IN 
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA THE BEACHES ARE TYBEE ISLAND...OSSABAW 
ISLAND...WASSAW ISLAND...ST. CATHERINES ISLAND AND SAPELO ISLAND.

EACH FORECAST WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION...SKY 
CONDITION...HIGH TEMPERATURES...WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED...SEA WATER 
TEMPERATURES ALONG THE BEACHES...AND THE ULTRAVIOLET INDEX FOR THE 
FIRST DAYTIME PERIOD.

WHEN NECESSARY...HEADLINES FOR ADVISORIES...WATCHES OR WARNINGS WILL 
ALSO BE INCLUDED...AS WELL AS THE PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION.
    
THE RIP CURRENT FORECAST WILL BE INCLUDED IN EACH BEACH FORECAST 
THAT IS ISSUED...WITH A THREE TIERED QUALIFIER SYSTEM. THE THREE 
RISK LEVELS FOR RIP CURRENTS WILL BE LOW...MODERATE AND HIGH.

THE MORNING FORECAST AND ANY UPDATES WILL INCLUDE A RIP CURRENT 
OUTLOOK FOR TODAY...WHILE THE EVENING FORECAST AND ANY UPDATES WILL 
INCLUDE A RIP CURRENT OUTLOOK FOR TOMORROW. THESE OUTLOOKS ARE 
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR LIFEGUARDS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS...THE MEDIA 
AND THE PUBLIC. 

A LOW RISK IN THE FORECAST MEANS THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS DO 
NOT SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIP CURRENTS. HOWEVER...THEY STILL 
MAY OCCUR...AND AS A RESULT YOU ARE REMINDED TO SWIM ONLY AT GUARDED 
BEACHES.

A MODERATE RISK INDICATES THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS SUPPORT 
STRONGER OR MORE FREQUENT RIP CURRENTS. ONLY EXPERIENCED SURF 
SWIMMERS WHO KNOW WHAT TO DO IF CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT SHOULD ENTER
THE WATER...EVEN AT BEACHES WITH LIFEGUARDS.

A HIGH RISK INDICATES THAT CONDITIONS SUPPORT DANGEROUS RIP 
CURRENTS. NO ONE SHOULD ENTER THE WATER DURING A HIGH RISK...EVEN IF 
THERE ARE LIFEGUARDS PRESENT OR YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED SWIMMER.

DURING 2006 THERE WERE 23 DAYS WITH REPORTS OF RIP CURRENTS AT AREA 
BEACHES. THIS RESULTED IN 74 REPORTS OF RIP CURRENTS...OF WHICH 51 
RIP CURRENTS OCCURRED WHEN THE RISK WAS MODERATE OR HIGH. 

DEPENDING UPON THE RISK LEVEL...ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON RIP CURRENTS 
CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...THE SOUTHEAST 
SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA ZONE FORECAST...THE AREA 
FORECAST DISCUSSION AND IN THE COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE.

TO OBTAIN THE BEACH FORECAST AND THE RIP CURRENT OUTLOOK GO TO OUR 
WEB SITE AT...WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CHS. YOU CAN ALSO LISTEN TO THE 
FORECAST ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A RIP CURRENT SPOTTER...GIVE US A 
CALL TOLL FREE AT...1-888-383-2024 AND LEAVE A MESSAGE.   

$$

33