PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
520 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2009

...THE BEACH AND RIP CURRENT FORECAST WILL START AGAIN MARCH 15...

YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WILL BEGIN ISSUING A 
SURF ZONE OR BEACH FORECAST...WHICH INCLUDES THE RIP CURRENT 
FORECAST STARTING ON MARCH 15. THE FORECAST WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AT 
LEAST THE END OF OCTOBER.

FORECASTS WILL BE ISSUED AT A MINIMUM OF TWICE A DAY...ONCE AROUND
4 AM AND AGAIN BY SUNSET IN THE EVENING. HOWEVER...UPDATES WILL BE
ISSUED IF THEY BECOME NECESSARY.

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

EACH FORECAST WILL CONTINUE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION...SKY
CONDITIONS...HIGH TEMPERATURES...WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED...SEA
WATER TEMPERATURES AND THE ULTRAVIOLET INDEX.

WHEN NECESSARY...HEADLINES FOR VARIOUS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND
ADVISORIES WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED...AS WELL AS THE PROBABILITY OF
PRECIPITATION. 

THE RIP CURRENT OUTLOOK WILL BE INCLUDED IN EACH FORECAST THAT IS
ISSUED...UTILIZING THE THREE TIERED QUALIFIER SYSTEM....OF LOW
RISK...MODERATE RISK AND HIGH RISK.

THE RIP CURRENT INFORMATION IS THEN COMMUNICATED TO
LIFEGUARDS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS...THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA.

A LOW RISK MEANS THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS DO NOT SUPPORT
THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIP CURRENTS. HOWEVER...KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY
CAN STILL OCCUR...AND REMAIN CAUTIOUS IF YOU PLAN ON GOING INTO
THE OCEAN. REMEMBER TO SWIM ONLY AT GUARDED BEACHES.

A MODERATE RISK INDICATES THAT CONDITIONS SUPPORT STRONGER OR MORE
FREQUENT RIP CURRENTS. ONLY EXPERIENCED SURF SWIMMERS SHOULD ENTER
THE WATERS...EVEN AT BEACHES THAT HAVE LIFEGUARDS.

A HIGH RISK INDICATES THAT CONDITIONS SUPPORT DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS...WHICH CAN BE LIFE THREATENING TO ANYONE ENTERING THE
SURF. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT NO ONE ENTER THE SURF
DURING A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

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 OR YOU CAN ALL LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS.

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

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