Alert archive / Michigan / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 22, NWS Grand Rapids, MI

August 31, 20264 counties in Michigan

NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this beach hazards statement at Aug 31, 2026, 2:36 AM EDT for 4 counties in Michigan. It took effect at Aug 31, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 12 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 31, 2026, 2:36 AM EDT (06:36 UTC)
In effect from
Aug 31, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT
Expired
Aug 31, 2026, 11:00 PM EDT
In force
12 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Rapids, MI

Counties Mason County, MI, Muskegon County, MI, Oceana County, MI, Ottawa County, MI

The radar

The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:39 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 00:00Z, 6.6 hours before the alert went out and 246 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 00:00Z on 2026-08-31Temperature 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 00:00Z on 2026-08-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 369 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
1012 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
369 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
413 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

338 
WHUS43 KGRR 310636
CFWGRR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
236 AM EDT Mon Aug 31 2026

MIZ037-043-050-056-311445-
/O.NEW.KGRR.BH.S.0022.260831T1500Z-260901T0300Z/
Mason-Oceana-Muskegon-Ottawa-
236 AM EDT Mon Aug 31 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS EVENING...

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

* WHERE...Mason, Oceana, Muskegon and Ottawa counties.

* WHEN...From 11 AM EDT this morning through this evening.

* 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.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
183 
WHUS43 KGRR 311605
CFWGRR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
1205 PM EDT Mon Aug 31 2026

MIZ037-043-050-056-010300-
/O.CON.KGRR.BH.S.0022.000000T0000Z-260901T0300Z/
Mason-Oceana-Muskegon-Ottawa-
1205 PM EDT Mon Aug 31 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

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

* WHERE...Mason, Oceana, Muskegon and Ottawa counties.

* WHEN...Until 11 PM EDT this evening.

* 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.

&&

$$
035 
WHUS43 KGRR 010247
CFWGRR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
1047 PM EDT Mon Aug 31 2026

MIZ037-043-050-056-010400-
/O.EXP.KGRR.BH.S.0022.000000T0000Z-260901T0300Z/
Mason-Oceana-Muskegon-Ottawa-
1047 PM EDT Mon Aug 31 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT WILL EXPIRE AT 11 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

Winds and waves have diminished below hazardous levels.

$$

Thomas

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 Aug 31, 1:50 AM EDT, 46 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Warm, Humid, Occasional Thunderstorms Through Midweek
Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 1:50 AM EDT, 46 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
150 AM EDT Mon Aug 31 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Warm, Humid, Occasional Thunderstorms Through Midweek

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 256 PM EDT Sun Aug 30 2026

A strengthening heat dome over the southern to southeast CONUS
the next few days will send hot and humid air into portions of
Lower Michigan. The unsettled "ring of fire" pattern returns at
least through Wednesday as a surface front wavers north then back
south underneath upper-level shortwaves and jet streaks. Global
ensemble systems offer good confidence in heat and humidity
building through Wednesday, then fair confidence for some relief
from the hotter temperatures for the latter part of the week.
Though dependent on thunderstorms each day, high temperatures
around 90 and a heat index climbing to 95-100 are possible in
southwest and south-central Lower Michigan Tuesday and Wednesday.

This evening, a midlevel vorticity center moving through southern
WI and northern IL is touching off showers and thunderstorms.
This morning's models have not been enthusiastic about the
thunderstorm potential in southwest Michigan this evening, given a
capped surface and poor midlevel lapse rates and limited CAPE
environment that this disturbance will move into. But will
maintain showers and a slight chance of a thunderstorm for this
evening mainly south of I-96.

Early Monday, the nose of a 850-700 mb jet will be pointed at
western and central Lwr MI, where somewhat better but still modest
CAPE around 500 J/kg will exist. This provides another chance of
scattered thunderstorms, which will again be relatively high-based
as most of the moisture will be above 800 mb and closer to 700 mb
or 10,000 feet.

Confidence in the timing of subsequent rounds of thunderstorms
from Monday night to Wednesday is quite low, but models increase
CAPE values, and adequate deep-layer shear will be in place much
of the time. This will set up at least marginal threats for severe
weather during this period.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 150 AM EDT Mon Aug 31 2026

Rain showers will be possible through Monday morning. South winds
become southwesterly today with ceilings remaining VFR. Pop up
thunderstorms are possible this afternoon from MKG to GRR to LAN
and south. Areas north will likely stay dry. If thunderstorms
occur, brief heavy downpours and reductions in visibility are
possible. Winds are expected to gust around 20 knots this
afternoon before subsiding this evening.

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 256 PM EDT Sun Aug 30 2026

Small Craft Advisory / Beach Hazard Statement is working out well
this afternoon, with a marginal wind and wave threat for small
craft south of South Haven and moderate swim risk, and more
hazardous winds and waves to the north of South Haven toward
Ludington. The Port Sheldon buoy has been gusting to 30 knots from
the south and waves have been 4 to 6 feet. The South Haven buoy
has had waves more in the range of 2 to 4 feet. Hazardous
conditions will only gradually subside this evening, and the
advisory is on track to end at 11 PM. However, this break in the
hazard will be short.

South-southwest winds are expected to strengthen to 15 to 25
knots again Monday. The models do not have a uniform and smooth
wind field over the lake as it may be disrupted in spots by
showers and thunderstorms Monday morning, though generally these
winds will again build up 3 to 6 foot waves, hazardous for small
craft and swimmers. Anticipating a moderate swim risk with 2-4 ft
waves from St Joseph to Holland, and a high swim risk with 3-6 ft
waves north of Holland toward Ludington.

&&

.GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MI...None.
MARINE...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...CAS
AVIATION...RAH
MARINE...CAS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 31, 2:36 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryGRR20 hr

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.