Urgent – Marine Weather Message

Small Craft Advisory – Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services

10:00 AM | Saturday 25 June 2022

A Small Craft Advisory goes into effect late tonight for Antigua and Barbuda. A Small Craft Warning may be required early next week.

Locations to be affected: Mainly open waters on the Atlantic sides of the islands out to 20 nautical miles.

Timing: After 2 am tonight until Friday.

Synopsis: A combination of wind waves and wind swells is forecast to cause hazardous seas, especially in open waters on the Atlantic sides of the islands. The threat level to the life, livelihood, property and infrastructure of mariners is expected to rise to high with the potential for extensive impacts; a warning may be required for Monday to Thursday next week.

A Small Craft Advisory means that wind speeds of 21 to 33 knots and or wind waves and or wind swells of 7 feet or greater are occurring or imminent.

Winds over open waters: East at 26 to 41 km/h (14 to 22 knots; 16 to 25 mph), with strong gusts to around 63 km/h (34 knots; 39 mph).

Seas (significant wave heights): 1.8 to 3 metres (6 to 10 feet), occasionally or locally reaching near 3.8 metres (13 feet).

Wind waves and or wind swells: 1.8 to 3 metres or 6 to 10 feet and occasionally higher. The worst conditions are likely Monday through Thursday when seas and winds are expected to be highest. The dominant wind wave period is 6 to 9 seconds.

Potential Impacts: Loss of life at sea; injuries to mariners; capsize or damage or loss of vessels and marine equipment; financial losses; disruption of fisheries and scarcity of fish products and disruption to marine transportation.

Caution: Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels should avoid navigating in these conditions.

Please continue to monitor these hazardous, life-threatening marine conditions.

Stay tuned to updates coming out of the Met Office via antiguamet.com, facebook.com/abmetservice and twitter.com/abmetservice. Also, stay tuned to other media platforms for updates.

Forecaster: Dale Destin