000 WHCA42 TJSJ 182328 CFWSJU URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR 728 PM AST TUE MAR 18 2008 ...VERY LARGE NORTHERLY SWELLS AND HIGH DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY... VIZ002-190730- /O.EXT.TJSJ.SU.Y.0005.000000T0000Z-080321T1800Z/ ST CROIX- 728 PM AST TUE MAR 18 2008 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED A HIGH SURF ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY FOR THE NORTH AND WEST COASTS OF ST CROIX. LONG PERIOD...NORTH NORTHWEST SWELLS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE NORTH AND WEST COASTS OF ST CROIX THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY... CREATING LARGE BREAKING WAVES ALONG THE REEFS AND BEACHES OF THE ISLAND. THESE BREAKING WAVES WILL GENERATE STRONG AND DANGEROUS CURRENTS WITHIN THE SURF ZONE...CALLED RIP CURRENTS. THESE NARROW OUTWARD FLOWING CURRENTS CAN CARRY PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AWAY FROM THE COAST LINE AND OUT TO SEA. IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. CALMLY...REMAIN AFLOAT...GATHER YOUR BEARINGS RELATIVE TO THE BEACH...AND SWIM PARALLEL TO THE BEACH. YOU WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE THE GRIP OF THIS NARROW CURRENT...AND BE ABLE TO SAFELY SWIM TO SHORE. LOCAL BEACH GOERS...AND INEXPERIENCED SURFERS AND SWIMMERS ARE URGED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER UNTIL THESE HAZARDOUS SURF CONDITIONS SUBSIDE. PERSONS ON THE BEACH SHOULD BE VIGILANT FOR LARGE BREAKING WAVES SURGING UPON THE SHORE...WHICH CAN CARRY PEOPLE OF ALL SIZES INTO THE OCEAN. YOU SHOULD AVOID BEING NEAR THE SHORE LINE AND STAY OFF OF ROCK FORMATIONS. THESE SURGING WAVES WILL ALSO CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR BEACH EROSION DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. THE TIMES OF THE HIGH TIDE FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ARE: CHRISTIANSTED: 5:45 AM WEDNESDAY AT 0.4 FEET. STAY TUNED FOR ANY ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN SAN JUAN. $$ PRZ001-002-005-008-010-012-013-VIZ001-190730- /O.EXT.TJSJ.CF.A.0001.000000T0000Z-080321T1800Z/ /O.CON.TJSJ.SU.Y.0005.000000T0000Z-080321T1800Z/ SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-NORTHEAST-NORTH CENTRAL-NORTHWEST- MAYAGUEZ AND VICINITY-CULEBRA-VIEQUES- ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS- 728 PM AST TUE MAR 18 2008 ...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY... VERY LARGE LONG PERIOD NORTHERLY SWELLS GENERATED FROM A MAJOR WINTER STORM SYSTEM ACROSS THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE COASTAL ZONES OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS THIS EVENING. THE FIRST SURGE WILL BRING SWELLS OF BETWEEN 7 TO 9 FEET. A SECONDARY SURGE OF SWELLS OF 10 TO 12 FEET OR GREATER ARE THEN EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ALONG THE LOCAL COASTLINES LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING AND INCREASE FURTHER OVERNIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...WHEN THE PEAK WAVE HEIGHTS ARE ANTICIPATED. LONG PERIOD SWELLS MOVING THROUGH THE LOCAL WATERS TYPICALLY PRODUCE BREAKING WAVES 2 TIMES THAT OF THE SWELL HEIGHT...DUE TO THE STEEP SLOPE OF THE OCEAN FLOOR. BREAKING WAVE HEIGHTS ALONG THE OUTER REEFS AND SHOALS OF THE LOCAL ATLANTIC COASTLINES ARE THEREFORE EXPECTED TO BUILD FROM 12 TO 16 FEET TONIGHT...AND INCREASE FURTHER...PEAKING AT 20 TO 24 FEET LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THIS WILL CREATE A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE LOCAL BEACHES WITH NORTHWEST THROUGH NORTHEAST EXPOSURE...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THIS MAY BECOME THE LARGEST WINTER SWELL EVENT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. WAVE RUN-UP ALONG THE LOCAL BEACHES MAY REACH ELEVATIONS 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL. HIGH SURF WARNINGS FOR BREAKING WAVES OF 20 FEET AND GREATER WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED WEDNESDAY OR AS CONDITIONS WARRANT. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION WILL BE DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. THE TIMES OF THE HIGH TIDE FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ARE: SAN JUAN HARBOR: 7:38 AM WEDNESDAY AT 1.4 FEET AND 7:34 PM WEDNESDAY AT 1.2 FEET. MAGENS BAY ST THOMAS: 7:50 AM WEDNESDAY AT 0.9 FEET AN 6:56 PM WEDNESDAY AT 0.5 FEET. A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE FOR COASTAL FLOODING...CAUSING INUNDATION OF COASTAL ROADS...LOW LYING AREAS... AND BEACH EROSION. RESIDENTS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTIONS IN CASE COASTAL FLOODING OCCURS OR WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. THIS SITUATION WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED. KEEP TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME...COASTAL RESIDENTS SHOULD MAKE IMPORTANT PRELIMINARY PLANS TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE AND PROPERTY. LARGE BREAKING WAVES WILL GENERATE STRONG AND DANGEROUS CURRENTS WITHIN THE SURF ZONE...CALLED RIP CURRENTS. THESE NARROW OUTWARD FLOWING CURRENTS CAN CARRY PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AWAY FROM THE COAST LINE AND OUT TO SEA. IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. CALMLY...REMAIN AFLOAT...GATHER YOUR BEARINGS RELATIVE TO THE BEACH...AND SWIM PARALLEL TO THE BEACH. YOU WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE THE GRIP OF THIS NARROW CURRENT...AND BE ABLE TO SAFELY SWIM TO SHORE. LOCAL BEACH GOERS...SURFERS AND SWIMMERS ARE URGED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER UNTIL THESE HAZARDOUS SURF CONDITIONS SUBSIDE. PERSONS ON THE BEACH SHOULD BE VIGILANT FOR LARGE BREAKING WAVES SURGING UPON THE SHORE...WHICH CAN CARRY PEOPLE OF ALL SIZES INTO THE OCEAN. YOU SHOULD AVOID BEING NEAR THE SHORE LINE AND STAY OFF OF ROCK FORMATIONS. STAY TUNED FOR ANY ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN SAN JUAN. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION...IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SJU OR AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV. $$ PRZ011-190730- /O.CON.TJSJ.SU.Y.0005.000000T0000Z-080321T1800Z/ SOUTHWEST- 728 PM AST TUE MAR 18 2008 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY... A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY. LONG PERIOD NORTHERLY SWELLS FROM A MAJOR WINTER STORM ACROSS THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE WATERS OF THE MONA PASSAGE AND WEST COASTAL PUERTO RICO LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND BEGIN TO CREATE MODERATE TO LARGE BREAKING WAVES ALONG THE REEFS AND BEACHES OF THE WEST COAST...IN LOCATIONS WHERE WAVE CONDITIONS ARE GENERALLY FLAT. THESE LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL PRODUCE BREAKING WAVES ALONG THE LOCAL REEFS...BEACHES AND SHOALS OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. THEREFORE...A HIGH SURF ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED. THESE BREAKING WAVES WILL GENERATE STRONG AND DANGEROUS CURRENTS WITHIN THE SURF ZONE...CALLED RIP CURRENTS. THESE NARROW OUTWARD FLOWING CURRENTS CAN CARRY PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AWAY FROM THE COAST LINE AND OUT TO SEA. IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. CALMLY...REMAIN AFLOAT...GATHER YOUR BEARINGS RELATIVE TO THE BEACH...AND SWIM PARALLEL TO THE BEACH. YOU WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE THE GRIP OF THIS NARROW CURRENT...AND BE ABLE TO SAFELY SWIM TO SHORE. LOCAL BEACH GOERS...AND INEXPERIENCED SURFERS AND SWIMMERS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION UNTIL THESE HAZARDOUS SURF CONDITIONS SUBSIDE. PERSONS ON THE BEACH SHOULD BE VIGILANT FOR LARGE BREAKING WAVES SURGING UPON THE SHORE...WHICH CAN CARRY PEOPLE OF ALL SIZES INTO THE OCEAN. YOU SHOULD AVOID BEING NEAR THE SHORE LINE AND STAY OFF OF ROCK FORMATIONS. THESE SURGING WAVES WILL ALSO CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR BEACH EROSION DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. THE TIMES OF THE HIGH TIDE FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ARE: MAYAGUEZ: 7:29 AM WEDNESDAY AT 1.3 AND 7:25 PM WEDNESDAY AT 1.1 FEET STAY TUNED FOR ANY ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN SAN JUAN. $$