safety steps

Urgent – Marine Weather Message
Small Craft Advisory | Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services
9:45 am Sunday 02 July 2023

…Small craft advisory goes into effect Monday for Antigua and Barbuda…
…Small craft warning may be required Monday night and or Tuesday morning…

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

Timing: Monday morning until Wednesday

Synopsis: A combination of wind waves and wind swells is expected to cause hazardous seas, mainly on the Atlantic sides of the islands.

The threat level to the life, livelihood, property and infrastructure of mariners is to rise to high 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.

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 of 1.8 to 2.7 metres or 6 to 9 feet and occasionally higher.

Winds over open waters: East at 24 to 41 km/h (13 to 22 knots; 15 to 25 mph), with strong gusts to 63 km/h (34 knots; 39 mph). The strongest winds are likely Monday night.

The dominant wind-wave period is 6 to 9 seconds. Seas will peak Monday night/Tuesday morning.

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