Alert archive / Virginia / Rip Current Statements in 2018

Rip Current Statement 9, NWS Wakefield, VA

July 31, 2018Accomack County, Northampton County, Virginia; Worcester County, Maryland

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this rip current statement at Jul 31, 2018, 3:58 PM EDT for Accomack County, Northampton County, Virginia; Worcester County, Maryland. It took effect at Aug 1, 2018, 8:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 12 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 31, 2018, 3:58 PM EDT (19:58 UTC)
In effect from
Aug 1, 2018, 8:00 AM EDT
Expired
Aug 1, 2018, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
12 hr
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA

Counties Worcester County, MD, Accomack County, VA, Northampton County, VA

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 120 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:58 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 30 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 2018-07-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 397 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 2018-07-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
397 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
508 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

299 
WHUS41 KAKQ 311958
CFWAKQ

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
358 PM EDT Tue Jul 31 2018

MDZ025-VAZ099-100-010400-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.BH.S.0009.180801T1200Z-180802T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KAKQ.RP.S.0009.180801T1200Z-180802T0000Z/
Maryland Beaches-Accomack-Northampton-
358 PM EDT Tue Jul 31 2018

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING...

The National Weather Service in Wakefield has issued a Beach
Hazards Statement, which is in effect from Wednesday morning
through Wednesday evening. A High Rip Current Risk has also been
issued. This High Rip Current Risk is in effect from Wednesday
morning through Wednesday evening.

* LOCATION...Atlantic beaches of the Lower Eastern Shore.

* TIMING...Wednesday.

* SURF OR RIP CURRENT RISK...Breaking waves of 3 to 4 feet will 
  result in rough surf conditions and a high risk of rip currents.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Beach Hazards Statement is issued when threats such as rip
currents...longshore currents...sneaker waves and other hazards
create life-threatening conditions in the surf zone. Caution
should be used when in or near the water.

There is a high risk of rip currents.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away
from shore...which occur most often at low spots or breaks in the
sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as jetties and
piers. Heed the advice of lifeguards...beach patrol flags and
signs.

If you become caught in a rip current...relax and float. Don't
swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following
the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or
wave for help. 

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
439 
WHUS41 KAKQ 010724
CFWAKQ

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
324 AM EDT Wed Aug 1 2018

MDZ025-VAZ099-100-011530-
/O.CON.KAKQ.BH.S.0009.180801T1200Z-180802T0000Z/
/O.CON.KAKQ.RP.S.0009.180801T1200Z-180802T0000Z/
Maryland Beaches-Accomack-Northampton-
324 AM EDT Wed Aug 1 2018

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS
MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS
MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* LOCATION...Atlantic beaches of the lower eastern shore.

* TIMING...Wednesday. Low tide for eastern shore beaches occurs 
  late this afternoon into early this evening. 

* SURF OR RIP CURRENT RISK...Breaking waves of 3 to 4 feet will 
  result in rough surf conditions and a high risk of rip 
  currents.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

There is a high risk of rip currents.

A Beach Hazards Statement is issued when threats such as rip
currents...longshore currents...sneaker waves and other hazards
create life-threatening conditions in the surf zone. Caution
should be used when in or near the water.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away 
from shore...which occur most often at low spots or breaks in the 
sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as jetties and 
piers. Heed the advice of lifeguards...beach patrol flags and 
signs.

If you become caught in a rip current...relax and float. Don't
swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following
the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or
wave for help.

&&

$$

NWS/AKQ

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wakefield, VA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 31, 3:58 PM EDTBeach Hazards StatementAKQAccomack, Northampton28 hr
Jul 31, 5:06 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQYork, City of Newport News54 min
Jul 31, 5:21 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQMecklenburg39 min
Jul 31, 5:22 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryAKQYork, City of Newport News113 min
Jul 31, 5:46 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryAKQMecklenburg3 hr
Jul 31, 6:26 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQAmelia49 min
Jul 31, 6:50 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQCity of Richmond40 min
Jul 31, 7:00 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQRichmond45 min
Jul 31, 7:12 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryAKQEssex, King and Queen3 hr

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Virginia, 2018Rip Current Statements in Maryland, 2018Every rip current statement in 2018

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.