Urgent – Marine Weather Message | Small Craft Advisory
Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services
7:50 pm Tuesday 3rd January 2023

A Small Craft Advisory goes into effect Wednesday for Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla, and Wednesday night for Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands.

A Small Craft Warning may be required for some areas Wednesday night Through Friday.

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

Timing: Wednesday morning until Sunday for Antigua, Barbuda and Anguilla; Wednesday until Saturday morning for St. Kitts and Nevis and Wednesday night until Saturday morning for Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands.

Synopsis: A combination of wind waves and wind swells is expected to cause hazardous seas. The threat level to the life, livelihood, property and infrastructure of mariners is expected to rise to moderate to high with the potential for significant to 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.

The advisory may need to be upgraded to a warning Wednesday night through Friday for some areas.

Winds over open waters: East at 26 to 41 km/h (14 to 22 knots; 16 to 25 mph), with strong gusts to around 50 km/h (34 knots; 39 mph).

Seas (significant wave heights): 1.8 to 2.7 metres (6 to 9 feet), occasionally or locally reaching near 3.5 metres (over 11 feet).

Wind waves and or wind swells: 1.5 to 2.5 metres or 5 to 8 feet and occasionally higher. The dominant wind wave period is 6 to 9 seconds. The highest seas are likely Wednesday night through Friday, especially in Atlantic waters.

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