PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA

...BOAT SMART FROM THE START...

BOAT SMART FROM THE START: WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKET.

DURING SAFE BOATING WEEK...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD...WILL ISSUE SEVERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS PERTAINING TO MARINE WEATHER AND
BOATING SAFETY.

THE TOPICS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED THIS YEAR INCLUDE:
- FLOAT PLANS /SATURDAY/
- WATERSPOUTS /TUESDAY/
- EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS DURING DISTRESS /TUESDAY AND TODAY/
- LIGHTNING SAFETY AT SEA /WEDNESDAY/
- BOATER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS /WEDNESDAY/
- MARINE WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES /TODAY/

PLEASE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MARINE WEATHER AND SAFE BOATING. THIS INFORMATION COULD HELP SAVE A LIFE.

*******************************************************************

...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARINE WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES SEVERAL DIFFERENT MARINE WEATHER WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. THESE ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS COVER WEATHER RANGING FROM STRONG WINDS TO MAJOR STORMS.  THE
FOLLOWING LIST DETAILS EACH TYPE OF MARINE WARNING AND ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD VIRGINIA.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY - ISSUED WHEN ONE OR BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING ARE OCCURRING OR EXPECTED TO OCCUR WITHIN 12 HOURS.
 1. WIND SPEEDS OF 25 TO 33 KNOTS ON THE OCEAN AND SOUND...AND
    20 TO 33 KNOTS ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
 2. SEA HEIGHTS OF FIVE /5/ FEET OR GREATER ON THE OCEAN...AND
    FOUR /4/ FEET OR GREATER ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND CURRITUCK
    SOUND

GALE WARNING - ISSUED WHEN WIND SPEEDS OF 34 TO 47 KNOTS ARE OCCURRING OR EXPECTED TO OCCUR WITHIN 24 HOURS.

STORM WARNING - ISSUED WHEN WIND SPEEDS OF 48 KNOTS OR GREATER ARE OCCURRING OR EXPECTED TO OCCUR WITHIN 24 HOURS.

HEAVY SURF ADVISORY - ISSUED WHEN SEAS OF 8 FEET OR GREATER...WITH LONG PERIODS BETWEEN WAVES...ARE PRODUCING ROUGH SURF CONDITIONS...OR ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ROUGH SURF CONDITIONS
WITHIN 12 HOURS. THE ROUGH SURF CONDITIONS WILL MAKE NAVIGATION THROUGH AREA INLETS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND COULD PRODUCE MINOR FLOODING OF BEACH FRONT AREAS. IN ADDITION...ROUGH SEAS COULD PRODUCE DANGEROUS SWIMMING AND/OR SURFING CONDITIONS...AS WELL AS RIP CURRENTS.

COASTAL FLOOD WATCH - ISSUED WHEN MODERATE OR MAJOR FLOODING FROM THE OCEAN...CHESAPEAKE BAY OR CURRITUCK SOUND IS POSSIBLE WITHIN 12 TO 36 HOURS. IN SOME CASES...A HEAVY SURF ADVISORY WILL
BE IN EFFECT PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH. IF A HEAVY SURF ADVISORY IS NOT ALREADY IN EFFECT...A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH ALSO MEANS THAT HEAVY SURF CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN 12 TO 36 HOURS.

COASTAL FLOOD WARNING - ISSUED WHEN MODERATE OR MAJOR FLOODING FROM THE OCEAN IS OCCURRING OR EXPECTED TO OCCUR WITHIN 12 HOURS.  SINCE COASTAL FLOODING ONLY OCCURS WHEN HEAVY SURF CONDITIONS EXIST...HEAVY SURF INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING WITHOUT THE ISSUANCE OF A SEPARATE HEAVY SURF ADVISORY.  IF A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT...ROUGH SURF CONDITIONS CAN MAKE NAVIGATION THROUGH AREA INLETS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS...IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

SPECIAL MARINE WARNING /SMW/ - ISSUED FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT REASONS. AN SMW MAY BE ISSUED FOR THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING WINDS OF 34 KNOTS OR GREATER...AND FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY
FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  AN SMW WILL BE ISSUED FOR WATERSPOUTS OVER THE BAY...SOUNDS AND COASTAL WATERS.  AN SMW MAY ALSO BE ISSUED FOR WIND SPEEDS OF 34 KNOTS OR GREATER WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO LAST LESS
THAN 3 HOURS...OR FOR WIND SHIFTS ACCOMPANIED BY A SIGNIFICANT SHORT TERM INCREASE IN WIND SPEED.  IF A SPECIAL MARINE WARNING IS ISSUED FOR THE AREA IN WHICH YOU ARE BOATING...YOU SHOULD RETURN TO PORT OR
TAKE SOME OTHER TYPE OF EVASIVE ACTION.

MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT /MWS/ - ANOTHER MULTI-PURPOSE PRODUCT.  AN MWS IS ISSUED ABOUT EVERY 6 HOURS DURING A HEAVY SURF ADVISORY...TO PROVIDE THE MOST RECENT SEA AND SURF INFORMATION.  AN MWS CAN ALSO
BE ISSUED TO PROVIDE GREATER DETAIL REGARDING THE EXPECTED ONSET TIME AND DURATION OF GALE OR STORM CONDITIONS.  AN MWS MAY BE ISSUED FOR SHORT DURATION INCREASES IN THE WIND SPEED TO 33 KNOTS OR
LESS...OR FOR GIVING GREATER DETAIL REGARDING A WIND SHIFT ASSOCIATED WITH A FRONT.  AN MWS MAY ALSO BE ISSUED FOR DENSE FOG...RIP CURRENTS OR TO CANCEL A SPECIAL MARINE WARNING.  IF A MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT IS ISSUED FOR THE AREA IN WHICH YOU ARE  BOATING...HEED THE ADVICE GIVEN IN THE STATEMENT.
 
SHORT TERM FORECAST - ISSUED AS A FORECAST OF CONDITIONS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 1 TO 6 HOURS.  OVER THE BAY...SOUNDS AND COASTAL WATERS...SHORT TERM FORECASTS ARE TYPICALLY ISSUED TO COVER THUNDERSTORMS WITH WINDS LESS THAN 34 KNOTS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY IN RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS.

*******************************************************************

...EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS DURING DISTRESS...

RECREATIONAL BOATERS: BOATERS IN TROUBLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN CONTACT THE COAST GUARD 24 HOURS A DAY, EVERY DAY. HOWEVER... WITHOUT SOME BASIC INFORMATION THE COAST GUARD MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIND A VESSEL IN DISTRESS IN A TIMELY MANNER. A BOATER SHOULD NEVER LEAVE THE DOCK WITHOUT A RELIABLE SOURCE OF COMMUNICATIONS. A CELLULAR PHONE IS ADEQUATE, BUT THE COAST GUARD STRONGLY RECOMMENDS A VHF RADIO WITH CHANNEL 16.  (CELLULAR PHONES MAY NOT WORK MORE THAN A FEW MILES FROM SHORE.)

REMEMBER TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN CALLING THE COAST GUARD FOR HELP:
- STATE YOUR VESSEL'S NAME OR REGISTRATION NUMBER
- STATE YOUR VESSEL'S POSITION OR LOCATION
- STATE THE NATURE OF YOUR EMERGENCY, INCLUDING ANY MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT PERSONS ON BOARD MAY BE EXPERIENCING
- STATE THE NUMBER OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN ON BOARD AND REMEMBER TO HAVE THEM PUT ON THEIR LIFE-JACKETS
- AND BE PREPARED TO DESCRIBE TO THE COAST GUARD WHAT YOUR VESSEL LOOKS LIKE, INCLUDING ITS REGISTRATION NUMBER.

YOUR ABILITY TO RELAY VITAL INFORMATION TO THE COAST GUARD MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE. FOR A FREE COAST GUARD BOATING SAFETY COURSE, CALL 1-800-336-BOAT; THAT'S 1-800-336-2628.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD VA AND THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD WILL CONTINUE TO ISSUE STATEMENTS TO PROMOTE NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK FROM MAY 19 TO MAY 25...2001.

WHEN OUT ON THE WATER...ALWAYS KEEP ABREAST OF THE WEATHER BY MONITORING NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR VHF RADIO.  THE BEST WAY TO AVOID HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS IS TO CHECK THE FORECAST BEFORE YOU
LEAVE PORT.