...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... * DANGEROUS SWIMMING CONDITIONS TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. * HIGH WAVES EXPECTED. * STRONG RIP CURRENTS EXPECTED. * STRONG STRUCTURAL CURRENTS EXPECTED. * OVERVIEW...NORTH WINDS 20 TO 25 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY BEFORE DIMINISHING LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. HIGHEST WAVES OF 4 TO 7 FT WILL BE OBSERVED TODAY...SLOWLY SUBSIDING THIS EVENING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... DANGEROUS POUNDING WAVES AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ARE EXPECTED AT MANY OF THE ILLINOIS AND INDIANA BEACHES. OBEY ANNOUNCED OR POSTED RESTRICTIONS ON ENTERING THE WATER. THOSE THAT WILL BE VISITING BEACHES WHERE THERE ARE NO LIFEGUARDS OR OTHER SUPERVISORY OFFICIALS PRESENT ARE STRONGLY URGED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SOME CHICAGO BEACHES ARE PROTECTED BY SUBMERGED STRUCTURES THAT CALM WAVE ACTION OFFSHORE FROM THE BEACH. OTHER BEACHES ARE PROTECTED BY LAND SPITS OR OTHER BREAKWALL-TYPE STRUCTURES. IF ENTERING THE WATER IS ALLOWED AT A BEACH THEN BATHERS AND SWIMMERS SHOULD STAY WELL AWAY FROM SPITS AND BREAKWALLS AS THIS IS WHERE STRONG RIP CURRENTS WOULD MOST LIKELY OCCUR. RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN SANDBARS. RIP CURRENTS CAN QUICKLY SWEEP YOU OUT AWAY FROM SHORE INTO DEEPER WATER. STRUCTURAL CURRENTS FORM ALONG PIERS AND BREAKWALLS WHERE LONGSHORE CURRENTS AND WAVE ACTION FLOW INTO THE STRUCTURE. STRUCTURAL CURRENTS CAN ALSO QUICKLY SWEEP YOU OUT AWAY FROM SHORE ALONG THE PIER STRUCTURE.
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