HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Issue Date: 939 AM EST THU DEC 24 2009
Expiration: 700 PM EST THU DEC 24 2009

...HIGH RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ATLANTIC COAST BEACHES...
...A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND FEW THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT...
...SHOWERS LIKELY AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS CHRISTMAS DAY...
...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THE SHOWERS THROUGH CHRISTMAS...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.
.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
THUNDERSTORMS: A COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA
FRIDAY NIGHT. AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM, LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL
INCREASE RESULTING IN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS STARTING MAINLY SOMETIME LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
THROUGH TONIGHT. THE MAIN CONCERN WITH ANY SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL BE BRIEF PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS.
FLOODING: WITH ANY ACTIVITY TODAY AND TONIGHT, LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL
IS POSSIBLE. AT THIS TIME, THE MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS ACTIVITY WILL
BE PONDING OF WATER IN MAINLY POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. HOWEVER, IF THIS
THREAT MATERIALIZES AND INCREASES FORECAST PRODUCTS WILL BE UPDATED
AND ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS ISSUED ACCORDINGLY. THE MAIN AREAS THAT COULD
SEE SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WILL BE THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
COASTAL AND METRO AREAS DUE TO THE STRONG ONSHORE FROM THE SOUTHEAST
TODAY AND TONIGHT.
RIP CURRENTS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS WILL LEAD TO A
HIGH RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AT ALL ATLANTIC COAST BEACHES
TODAY.
NO OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
SHOWERS LIKELY ALONG WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
CHRISTMAS DAY WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH BRIEF PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINS POSSIBLE.
THERE WILL BE A RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT ALL ATLANTIC COAST BEACHES
CHRISTMAS DAY. A RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE ATLANTIC BEACHES WILL
REDEVELOP MONDAY AND INTO MIDWEEK.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.
$$

COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT
Issue Date: 300 AM EST THU DEC 24 2009
Expiration: 600 PM EST THU DEC 24 2009

...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ATLANTIC BEACHES TODAY...
FLZ168-172-173-241600-
/O.NEW.KMFL.CF.S.0044.091224T0800Z-091224T2300Z/
COASTAL PALM BEACH-COASTAL BROWARD-COASTAL MIAMI DADE-
300 AM EST THU DEC 24 2009
EAST WINDS NEAR 20 KNOTS WILL CREATE A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS
AT THE BEACHES OF PALM BEACH, BROWARD AND MIAMI DADE COUNTIES TODAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A RIP CURRENT IS A 10 TO 30 YARD WIDE CHANNEL OF WATER THAT CAN
PULL EVEN A STRONG SWIMMER FROM NEAR OR INSIDE THE SAND BAR INTO
DEEPER WATER. DUE TO THE LIFE THREATENING DANGERS THAT THESE
STRONG CURRENTS OF WATER POSE...SWIMMING IS NOT ADVISED.
IF YOU DO GO INTO THE WATERS...SWIM AT GUARDED BEACHES AND HEED
THE ADVICE OF THE BEACH PATROL. IF CAUGHT IN THE SEAWARD PULL OF A
RIP CURRENT DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE DIRECTLY TOWARD SHORE.
INSTEAD...MOVE SIDEWAYS ACROSS THE RIP CURRENT UNTIL THE PULL
EASES.
AN ALTERNATE METHOD OF ESCAPE IS TO LET THE RIP CURRENT PULL YOU
SEAWARD 50 TO 100 YARDS...WHERE THE FORCE WEAKENS...AND THEN SWIM
TOWARD THE BEACH AT AN ANGLE AWAY FROM THE CURRENT.
$$