NOUS42 KCHS 080954
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-081000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EDT WED JUN 7 2006

RIP CURRENT AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES TODAY WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE RIP CURRENT PROGRAM.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...NATIONAL SEA GRANT AND THE UNITED 
STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO RAISE 
AWARENESS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF RIP CURRENTS. RESEARCH IS ONGOING TO 
IMPROVE THE ABILITY TO PREDICT THE OCCURRENCE AND STRENGTH OF RIP 
CURRENTS. THE GOAL OF THE AWARENESS AND RESEARCH IS TO REDUCE THE 
NUMBER OF RIP CURRENT RELATED DEATHS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON ISSUES A SURF ZONE 
FORECAST FOR ALL THE BEACHES IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND 
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AT LEAST TWICE A DAY. THIS INCLUDES SUCH BEACHES 
AS...FOLLY BEACH...ISLE OF PALMS...EDISTO BEACH...HILTON HEAD ISLAND 
IN SOUTH CAROLINA...AND TYBEE ISLAND...SAPELO ISLAND AND SAINT 
CATHERINES ISLAND IN GEORGIA.

THE FORECAST IS ISSUED AROUND 4 AM AND AGAIN AROUND 8 PM. BOTH OF 
THE FORECASTS INCLUDE INFORMATION ON THE EXPECTED RIP CURRENT 
OUTLOOK AT THE AREA BEACHES. THE EARLY MORNING FORECAST INCLUDES THE 
OUTLOOK FOR THE UPCOMING DAY...WHILE THE EVENING FORECAST INCLUDES 
AN OUTLOOK FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY.

THE RIP CURRENT OUTLOOK IS A THREE TIERED QUALIFIER SYSTEM. LOW 
RISK...MODERATE RISK...OR HIGH RISK. THIS OUTLOOK IS COMMUNICATED TO 
THE LIFEGUARDS...EMERGENCY MANGERS...THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC. 

A LOW RISK MEANS THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED 
TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIP CURRENTS. HOWEVER...RIP CURRENTS 
CAN STILL OCCUR...ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF GROINS...JETTIES AND 
PIERS. KNOW HOW TO SWIM AND HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS OR THE 
BEACH PATROL.

A MODERATE RISK MEANS THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS SUPPORT 
STRONGER OR MORE FREQUENT RIP CURRENTS. ONLY EXPERIENCED SURF 
SWIMMERS SHOULD ENTER THE WATER.

A HIGH RISK MEANS THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS SUPPORT DANGEROUS 
RIP CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE LIFE THREATENING TO ANYONE ENTERING 
THE WATER.

TO OBTAIN THE LATEST BEACH FORECAST WITH THE RIP CURRENT 
OUTLOOK...GO TO OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/CHS. OR LISTEN TO 
THE FORECAST ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...ALL HAZARDS. 

TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RIP CURRENTS.

$$