High Surf Advisory

Bay (Florida)

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
525 AM EST THU DEC 24 2009
...A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR BAY...GULF...AND
COASTAL WALTON COUNTIES FROM NOON CST TODAY UNTIL 6 PM CST ON
FRIDAY...
...THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY AND FRIDAY ALONG
ALL OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND WESTERN BIG BEND BEACHES...
.WINDS ARE ALREADY INCREASING OUT OF THE EAST-SOUTHEAST OVER THE
COASTAL WATERS EARLY THIS MORNING OUT AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER TEXAS. AS THIS LOW CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN
AND MOVE NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY LATER
TODAY AND THIS EVENING...WINDS WILL FURTHER INCREASE OUT OF THE
SOUTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON...BEFORE SHIFTING TO THE SOUTH THIS
EVENING AND THEN SOUTHWEST OVERNIGHT. ON FRIDAY...AFTER THE COLD
FRONT AND SQUALL LINES PASS THROUGH THE REGION...WINDS WILL BECOME
WEST TO WEST-NORTHWEST AND SLOWLY DIMINISH THROUGH THE DAY. THESE
STRONG WINDS WILL CAUSE SURF TO BUILD RAPIDLY ACROSS THE AREA
BEACHES TODAY...WITH BREAKING WAVES REACHING AS HIGH AS 5 TO 7
FEET AT THE WALTON AND WESTERN BAY COUNTY SHORE LINES THIS
AFTERNOON. SURF HEIGHTS ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK IN THE 7 TO 9 FOOT
RANGE WITH HIGHER SETS OVER THESE SAME AREAS TONIGHT...BEFORE
SUBSIDING BACK TO 5 TO 7 FEET WITH HIGHER SETS ON FRIDAY. AT THE
BEACHES OF SAINT GEORGE AND DOG ISLANDS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY...
BREAKERS WILL REACH 3 TO 5 FEET THIS AFTERNOON...PEAKING AT 4 TO
6 FEET WITH HIGHER SETS TONIGHT...BEFORE DIMINISHING TO 2 TO 4
FEET ON FRIDAY. THIS HIGH SURF WILL CREATE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS...AND EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS AND SURFERS ARE
ADVISED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER. ALSO...SOME MINOR BEACH EROSION
WILL BE POSSIBLE DUE TO THE HIGH SURF...BUT TIDAL DEPARTURES ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN QUITE LOW WHICH SHOULD PROHIBIT ANY MAJOR
COASTAL FLOODING...WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE MORE
VULNERABLE ROADS SUCH AS STATE ROAD 30E WHICH LEADS TO THE SAINT
JOSEPH`S STATE PARK.