Urgent – Marine Weather Message
Small Craft Advisory
Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services
10:50 pm Friday 03 February 2023

…Small Craft Advisory in effect for Antigua and Barbuda…
…Small Craft Advisory goes into effect Saturday night for Montserrat, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands…

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

Timing: Until Sunday for Antigua and Barbuda, and Saturday night until Sunday for Montserrat, 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.

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 as high as 63 km/h (34 knots; 39 mph). The highest sustained winds and gusts are expected on Sunday.

Seas (significant wave heights): 1.8 to 2.7 metres (6 to 9 feet), occasionally or locally reaching near 3.5 metres (12 feet).

Wind waves and or wind swells: 1.5 to 2.4 metres or 5 to 8 feet and occasionally higher.

The highest seas will be on Sunday. 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