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National Weather Service:

Preparing You for the Beach

"Know Before You Go"

Know Before You Go

The National Weather Service (NWS) issues several products to alert the public of possible beach hazards in the Great Lakes. Part of being safe on the beach means checking the wave and weather conditions before leaving the house, hence the saying "Know before you go." The NWS will issue their beach forecasts (discussed below) around 5 am local time so the public has ample time to decide whether or not the beach is a good idea for that day. Before you leave the house, check your local NWS webpage for that day's beach conditions!

The Recreational Beach Forecast (or Surf Zone Forecast)

On a daily basis during the swim season, the NWS will issue a Recreational Beach Forecast (also known as the surf zone forecast). This forecast will give information about that day's beach conditions, including: air and water temperatures, wind direction and speed, and wave heights. Each day will also be assigned a "swim risk" of either low, moderate, or high based off what hazards are present in the lake. The chart in Figure 1 indicates what each risk level means:

 Figure 1. The different Swim Risk Levels
 

Most of the Great Lakes NWS Office's will be issuing a "Beach Hazards Statement" during days when there is a high swim risk on the Lake. This will be highlighted on the Hazards map on the homepage of your local NWS office (Figure 2).

Figure 2. In this case, there is a Beach Hazards Statement in effect for Alger and Marquette County,

highlighted by the teal-blue color. Clicking on either county will pull up the latest statement.

Beach Hazards Statement: What Hazards Will Be Covered in the Statement?

 What hazards are covered in your local office's beach hazard statement will depend on the beaches in your area. Are there rip current problems, hazardous wave heights, or structural currents? The forecasters that create this statement are familiar with the beaches they forecast for, and will advise the public of the hazards that cause the greatest hazards most often. Examples of this statement can be found in figures 3 and 4. Each office will have a slightly different style because each office has to forecast for different hazards.

Figure 3. This statement is an example of a Beach Hazards Statement issued by the Marquette National Weather Service.

It highlights the potential for high waves, and dangerous rip current development.

Figure 4. This is an example of a beach hazards statement from the National Weather Service office in

Grand Rapids, MI. Notice they have additional currents to contend with at their beaches, such as structural and

longshore currents so it is a much longer statement. Either way, definitions of each of the currents are listed clearly for

potential beachgoers to read about.