Heading to the Beach? Know Before you Go!

If you are heading to Park Point Beach-

Know The Conditions Before You Go!

There is a website specifically geared toward beach goers headed to Duluth's Park Point Beach. The site, at www.parkpointbeach.org, gives all the information beach visitors will need to have a fun and safe trip to the beach.

One piece of information that has been added today is the "swim hazard risk" which is highlighted by the yellow box in the graphic to the left. This swim hazard risk gives details about the forecast wind, beach temperature, and most importantly, the risk of hazardous swimming conditions, which includes rip currents. The rip current risk is taken directly from the National Weather Service's Surf Zone Forecast.

Surf Zone Forecasts will contain three levels of Rip Current Outlooks:

Low Risk	The risk for rip currents is low, however, life threatening rip currents often occur in the vicinity of groins, jetties, reefs, and piers.
Moderate Risk	Life threatening rip currents are possible in the surf zone.
High Risk	Life threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone.

If there is a high risk of hazardous conditions, a Beach Hazard Statement will be issued by the National Weather Service.

Here is an example of a Surf Zone Forecast and

Here is an example of a Beach Hazard Statement.

Screen shot of website parkpointbeach.org
Click image for larger view.

Both of these products can also be found on our website and will be broadcast on the weather radio station KIG-64. Other local radio and television stations also relay important beach hazards information.

Other Means For Rip Current Risk Information

In case a visitor has not checked the beach forecast, all is not lost. A series of flags denoting the hazard risk are strategically placed along the route to the Park Point. Beach. These flags use the same hazard notation as the above table. The flag colors are used nationwide so that they mean the same thing no matter what beach you are visiting- from the Great Lakes, both U. S. coasts and the Gulf. This flag messaging is also used in many foreign locations. These flags are changed as need by the Duluth fire department.

Finally, another means of receiving the information is an electronic sign that prominently displays the hazard risk on the drive to the beach. The sign is at the "S Curve on Minnesota Aveneu" near the "tot lot".

The improvements in public awareness, education and forecasting of rip currents is the result of a work by many local agencies, called the Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group. The Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group was formed in 2004 after the tragic drowning death of a young man due to a rip current, and the rescue of several other beach goers at Park Point. Since that time, the working group, which is comprised of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grants, the Red Cross, Duluth Parks and Recreation, the Duluth Fire Department, the YMCA, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Duluth National Weather Service, has increased public rip current awareness and provided a means of widely distributing the message of rip current safety.

The Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group was formed in 2004 after the tragic drowning death of a young man due to a rip current, and the rescue of several other beach goers at Park Point. Since that time, the working group, which is comprised of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grants, the Red Cross, Duluth Parks and Recreation, the Duluth Fire Department and YMCA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Duluth National Weather Service, has increased public rip current awareness and provided a means of widely distributing the message of rip current safety.

See these great links for more information about rip currents: