NOUS42 KCHS 081747
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-150200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1245 PM EST WED MAR 8 2006

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

WITH THE RETURN OF WARMER AIR AND WATER TEMPERATURES...MORE PEOPLE 
MAY DECIDE ON A TRIP TO THE BEACH. THUS...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 
WEDNESDAY MARCH 15...2006. THE FORECAST WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AT 
LEAST LATE OCTOBER 2006.  

FORECASTS WILL BE ISSUED AT A MINIMUM OF TWICE A DAY...ONCE AROUND 
4 AM AND 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. 

EACH FORECAST WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION...SKY 
CONDITION...HIGH TEMPERATURES...WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED...AND SEA 
WATER TEMPERATURES ALONG THE BEACHES. 

WHEN NECESSARY...HEADLINES FOR VARIOUS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND OR 
ADVISORIES WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED...AS WELL AS THE PROBABILITY OF 
PRECIPITATION. THE FORECASTED ULTRAVIOLET INDEX WILL ALSO BE 
INCLUDED...BUT ONLY IN THE EVENING FORECAST FOR THE NEXT DAY. 

THE RIP CURRENT FORECAST WILL BE INCLUDED IN EACH AND EVERY 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 NECESSARY UPDATES WILL INCLUDE A RIP 
CURRENT OUTLOOK FOR TODAY...WHILE THE EVENING FORECAST AND ANY 
NECESSARY UPDATES WILL INCLUDE A RIP CURRENT OUTLOOK FOR TOMORROW. 
THESE OUTLOOKS ARE THEN COMMUNICATED TO THE LIFEGUARDS...EMERGENCY 
MANAGERS...THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC.

A LOW RISK MEANS THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS DO NOT SUPPORT THE 
DEVELOPMENT OF RIP CURRENTS. HOWEVER...KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY STILL 
CAN OCCUR. YOU NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS HOWEVER IF YOU PLAN ON GOING INTO 
THE OCEAN. 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 WATER...EVEN AT BEACHES THAT HAVE 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.   

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 ALSO LISTEN TO 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