Urgent – Marine Weather Message – Small Craft Advisory

Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services

Small Craft Advisory in effect for Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.

Small Craft Warning may be required for some areas Monday night through Wednesday.

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

Timing: Until Thursday for Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, and until Friday for Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.

Synopsis: A combination of wind waves and wind swells is causing hazardous seas. The threat level to the life, livelihood, property and infrastructure of mariners is moderate with the potential for significant impacts; the threat level will likely rise to high Monday night with the potential for extensive impacts.

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.

A Warning may be required Monday night through Wednesday for some areas when winds are likely to be the highest.

Winds over open waters: East-northeast at 26 to 41 km/h (14 to 22 knots; 16 to 25 mph), with strong gusts to around 51 km/h (34 knots; 39 mph), mainly Monday through Wednesday.

Seas (significant wave heights): 1.8 to 3.0 metres (6 to 10 feet), occasionally or locally reaching near 3.8 metres (13 feet).

Wind waves and or wind swells: 1.8 to 2.7 metres or 6 to 9 feet and occasionally higher. The dominant wind wave period is 6 to 9 seconds. The highest seas will occur on the Atlantic sides of Antigua and Barbuda.

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