[MTHOLLYSVRWX] Public Information Statement : PHI@ 6/5/2014 4:16:59 AM

[svrwx at wx3i.net]

NOUS41 KPHI 050814
PNSPHI
DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055-
060>062-070-071-101>106-052300-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
414 AM EDT THU JUN 5 2014

...NATIONAL RIP CURRENT AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES THROUGH JUNE 7...

THIS IS THE FIFTH IN A DAILY SERIES OF CONSIDERATIONS FOR SWIMMERS 
AND WADERS HEADING FOR THE OCEAN THIS SUMMER. THIS IS IN PART 
SUPPORTED BY THE UNITED STATES LIFE GUARD ASSOCIATIONS MISSION TO 
PREVENT DROWNING THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION.  

RIP CURRENTS DO NOT PULL PEOPLE UNDER WATER AND OFTEN THEY ARE 
MISTAKENLY ASSOCIATED WITH UNDERTOW.

RIP CURRENTS CARRY PEOPLE SEAWARD IN A NARROW CHANNEL OF WATER 
SOMETIMES LINED WITH SEAWEED AND FOAM.  THESE CURRENTS CAN ALSO 
SOMETIMES BE SPOTTED AS MUDDY COLORED STREAMER OF WATER.  THE 
CURRENTS CAN RANGE IN WIDTH FROM 10 FEET TO 100 FEET. 

THEY CAN MOVE YOU SEAWARD AT THE RATE OF 1 TO 8 FEET PER SECOND.  
THE 8 FEET PER SECOND RATE IS FASTER THAN AN OLYMPIC SWIMMER CAN 
SWIM A 50 METER SPRINT. SO EVEN IF YOU'RE A GOOD SWIMMER...THE FLOW 
OF WATER CAN BE OVERWHELMING. 

ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO FORECAST WHERE RIP CURRENTS WILL FORM AT ANY GIVEN 
TIME. THEY TEND TO FORM IN LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN SANDBARS. SINCE 
THE SAND IS CONSTANTLY SHIFTING...THESE ARE KNOWN AS TRANSITORY RIP 
CURRENTS.  

ON THE OTHER HAND...RECURRENT RIP CURRENTS TEND TO FORM IN NEARLY 
THE SAME AREA DAILY...SUCH AS JETTIES AND PIERS ON THE SIDE THAT THE 
WAVES ARE ARRIVING.  

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTERS CAN ACCURATELY PREDICT WIND AND 
SWELL CONDITIONS. THIS COMBINED WITH TIDE INFORMATION CAN INDICATE 
CONDITIONS THAT ARE MORE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF RIP CURRENTS 
ON SOME DAYS VERSUS OTHERS.

USUALLY THE HIGH RISK DAYS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A COMBINATION OF 
VARYING CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDING SWELLS INCREASING ABOVE 4 
FEET...A LONGER PERIOD BETWEEN SWELLS OF MORE THAN 8 SECONDS...AND A 
PERSISTENT ONSHORE WIND THAT BUILDS WATER ON THE BEACHES BEHIND THE 
SANDBARS.   

FOR THE NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE COASTS...A MODERATE RISK FOR THE 
FORMATION OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A 3 
FOOT SWELL HAVING A PERIOD OF 10 SECONDS...AND A SOUTHEAST WIND 
OF 15 MILES AN HOUR.  

INCREASE THE WIND TO 20 MILES AN HOUR AND THE PERIOD TO 13 SECONDS 
BETWEEN THE LARGER WAVES OR JUST INCREASE THE SWELL TO 6 FEET...AND 
THE RISK FOR RIP CURRENT FORMATION INCREASES TO A HIGH LIKELIHOOD.

NO MATTER...HIGH RISK OR NOT...BE ALERT FOR RIP CURRENTS EITHER 
VISUALLY OR BY ASKING THE LIFE GUARDS AT THE BEACH.  

YOU CAN USE THE NATIONAL WEATHER FORECAST TO PLAN AHEAD BY LISTENING 
TO OR READING THE SURF ZONE FORECAST FOUND AT 

WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/BEACHHAZARDS/SURFZONES.SHTML  ALL LOWER CASE 

&&  
DRAG