Alert archive / Michigan / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 14, NWS Grand Rapids, MI

July 17, 20266 counties in Michigan

NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this beach hazards statement at Jul 17, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT for 6 counties in Michigan. It took effect at Jul 18, 2026, 2:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 26 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 17, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT (18:00 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 18, 2026, 2:00 AM EDT
Expired
Jul 19, 2026, 4:00 AM EDT
In force
26 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Rapids, MI

Counties Allegan County, MI, Mason County, MI, Muskegon County, MI, Oceana County, MI, Ottawa County, MI, Van Buren County, MI

The radar

The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:04 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

Detroit, MI (KDTX), launched 12:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 232 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, Detroit, MI at 12:00Z on 2026-07-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Detroit, MI at 12:00Z on 2026-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 48 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2057 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
48 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
55 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

409 
WHUS43 KGRR 171800
CFWGRR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
200 PM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

MIZ037-043-050-056-064-071-180200-
/O.NEW.KGRR.BH.S.0014.260718T0600Z-260719T0800Z/
Mason-Oceana-Muskegon-Ottawa-Allegan-Van Buren-
200 PM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...High wave action, strong currents, and dangerous 
  swimming conditions expected. Piers may be heavily swamped by 
  waves.

* WHERE...Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren 
  counties.

* WHEN...From late tonight through late Saturday night.

* IMPACTS...Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water 
  and high waves can sweep people off piers.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions
and do not venture out on piers. Please check with your local
authorities on potential beach closures.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
572 
WHUS43 KGRR 180000
CFWGRR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
800 PM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

MIZ037-043-050-056-064-071-181000-
/O.CON.KGRR.BH.S.0014.260718T0600Z-260719T0800Z/
Mason-Oceana-Muskegon-Ottawa-Allegan-Van Buren-
800 PM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM EDT
SATURDAY THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...High wave action, strong currents, and dangerous 
  swimming conditions expected. Piers may be heavily swamped by 
  waves.

* WHERE...Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren 
  counties.

* WHEN...From 2 AM EDT Saturday through late Saturday night.

* IMPACTS...Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water 
  and high waves can sweep people off piers.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions
and do not venture out on piers. Please check with your local
authorities on potential beach closures.

&&

$$
808 
WHUS43 KGRR 181519
CFWGRR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
1119 AM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

MIZ037-043-050-056-064-071-190200-
/O.CON.KGRR.BH.S.0014.000000T0000Z-260719T0800Z/
Mason-Oceana-Muskegon-Ottawa-Allegan-Van Buren-
1119 AM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...High wave action, strong currents, and dangerous 
  swimming conditions expected. Piers may be heavily swamped by 
  waves.

* WHERE...Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren 
  counties.

* WHEN...Through late tonight.

* IMPACTS...Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water 
  and high waves can sweep people off piers.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions
and do not venture out on piers. Please check with your local
authorities on potential beach closures.

&&

$$
700 
WHUS43 KGRR 190137
CFWGRR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
937 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

MIZ037-043-050-056-064-071-190800-
/O.CON.KGRR.BH.S.0014.000000T0000Z-260719T0800Z/
Mason-Oceana-Muskegon-Ottawa-Allegan-Van Buren-
937 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT
SUNDAY...

* WHAT...High wave action, strong currents, and dangerous 
  swimming conditions expected. Piers may be heavily swamped by 
  waves.

* WHERE...Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren 
  counties.

* WHEN...Until 4 AM EDT Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water 
  and high waves can sweep people off piers.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions
and do not venture out on piers. Please check with your local
authorities on potential beach closures.

&&

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this beach hazards statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Grand Rapids, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this beach hazards statement went out at Jul 17, 1:58 PM EDT, 2 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Smaller rain chances into this evening and Saturday
  • Good rain chances late Monday into early Wednesday
Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 1:58 PM EDT, 2 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
158 PM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Smaller rain chances into this evening and Saturday

- Good rain chances late Monday into early Wednesday

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 158 PM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

- Smaller rain chances into this evening and Saturday

The wildfire smoke remains at the forefront of weather related items
this afternoon. It continues to hold in for the time being, but
confidence is increasing per coordination with Michigan EGLE that
there will be a temporary improvement later today through Saturday
morning as stronger winds from the SW likely push the smoke out.
This occurs as the front dropped through on Wednesday moves back
north as a warm front as a low moves through the area.

We will see warmer air and additional low level moisture move back
in, and create some instability for a few showers/storms late this
afternoon and this evening. MU CAPEs are expected to push 2,000 J/kg
early this evening. Any mesoscale boundary could touch off a
shower/storm. Deep layer shear is very weak, under 20 knots. This
will favor pulse type storms with locally heavy rainfall for 20-30%
of the area.

We should see a break then tonight and first thing Saturday morning.
By late morning, the front will steadily start pushing through the
forecast area, and start to develop scattered to numerous
showers/storms along it. MU CAPEs are forecast to increase to almost
2500 J/kg by early afternoon. The front is expected to be near GR
around noon, and then push out of the area by 3 pm per the latest
consensus of guidance. Deep layer shear along and ahead of the front
continues to be weak, 20 knots or less. DCAPEs are shown by forecast
soundings to approach 1000 J/kg, so can't rule out some isolated
microbursts with some of the better storms. The storms should just
get going better as they look to exit the area.

The storm potential will end with the passage of the front, with NW
winds spreading in. These winds have the potential to bring some
additional smoke in from the MN and Wrn Ontario fires, but how much
is the big question. The Michigan EGLE has extended the Air Quality
Alert for the state through Saturday with this in mind, expecting
that Unhealthy for Sensitive groups will at least be affected.

- Good rain chances late Monday into early Wednesday

We will see short wave ridging aloft settle in on Sunday, with the
general flow from the WNW. This will bring in cooler weather, along
with the potential of some smoke. Dry conditions will continue into
the first half of Monday.

The next formidable short wave aloft, and sfc reflection will
approach the area Monday afternoon. We will see shower/storm chances
increase as as the low level jet ahead of it noses into the area.
Not much instability initially is weak. Best chance for thunder will
be Monday night and Tuesday morning when the instability axis is
overhead. The front moves by Tuesday afternoon, ending the better
convective potential.

It does look like some shower potential stick around into Wednesday
as the upper trough lingers over the region until Wednesday
afternoon. After that, high pressure will return, and bring back
cooler and drier weather for the rest of the week.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 158 PM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

Visibility reductions due to smoke to slowly improve over the
course of the TAF period...but current expectations are at least
another 8-12 hours of impacts to terminal before smoke begins to
move off. Some showers, maybe a rumble of thunder over the next 6
hours or so but only confident enough to keep prob30 in for a
couple locations.

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 158 PM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

We will be hoisting Small Craft Advisories and Beach Hazards
Statements for the entire lakeshore from overnight tonight through
Saturday night. Winds will increase this evening ahead of the front,
but should remain just under criteria. It will be right along and
then behind the front that criteria should be met pretty easily with
a decent gradient and a good surge of cooler air coming in. Winds
will eventually turn offshore from the NE Saturday night. Waves will
subside at that point.

Conditions will settle down for a couple of days for Sunday and
Monday as high pressure moves through. The next period of higher
winds and waves will come in late Monday into Tuesday associated
with the next system to affect the area.

&&

.GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MI...Air Quality Alert until midnight EDT Saturday night for
     MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074.
     Beach Hazards Statement from late tonight through late Saturday
     night for MIZ037-043-050-056-064-071.
MARINE...Dense Smoke Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for LMZ844>849.
     Small Craft Advisory from 2 AM Saturday to 4 AM EDT Sunday for
     LMZ844>849.

&&

DISCUSSION...NJJ
AVIATION...Maczko
MARINE...NJJ

The office that day

Everything else NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 17, 2:00 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryGRR38 hr
Jul 17, 4:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRBarry, Kalamazoo55 min
Jul 17, 5:39 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRGratiot, Ionia2 hr
Jul 17, 7:52 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRJackson53 min

Nearby

Beach Hazards Statements in Michigan, 2026Every beach hazards statement in 2026

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.