000
WHUS44 KMOB 030144
CFWMOB

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
844 PM CDT WED MAY 2 2012

...THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TONIGHT ALONG THE GULF BEACHES OF
ALABAMA AND THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...

.NUMEROUS BEACHES ALONG THE ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA COASTS
ARE REPORTING DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS.

ALZ063-064-FLZ002-004-006-031000-
/O.CON.KMOB.RP.S.0001.000000T0000Z-120503T1000Z/
LOWER MOBILE-LOWER BALDWIN-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-COASTAL SANTA ROSA-
COASTAL OKALOOSA-
844 PM CDT WED MAY 2 2012

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM CDT
THURSDAY...

* TIMING...THROUGH TONIGHT

* IMPACTS...A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS MEANS WIND...WAVE...AND 
  TIDAL CONDITIONS SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF WIDESPREAD 
  DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE LIFE-THREATENING TO 
  ANYONE ENTERING THE SURF. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...
JETTIES AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH
PATROL. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM
AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE
FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG
SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.

&&

$$


PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
NEW RIP CURRENT HAZARD...

HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SURVEY/NWS-SURVEY.PHP?CODE=RCVTECCHM