safety steps

Urgent – Marine Weather Message
Small Craft Advisory
Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services
9:00 pm Monday 22 January 2024

…Small craft advisory in effect for Antigua and Barbuda…
…Small craft advisory goes back into effect tonight for Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands… …Small craft warning may be required around mid-next week for some areas…

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

Timing: Later tonight until Friday for Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, and until Saturday for Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.

Synopsis: Moderate to fresh winds are causing a combination of wind waves and wind swells, resulting in hazardous seas, mainly on the Atlantic sides of the islands.

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

Winds over open waters: East-northeast at 25 to 44 km/h (14 to 24 knots; 16 to 28 mph) with strong gusts to 68 km/h (37 knots; 43 mph).

Seas (significant wave heights): 2.1 to 3.4 metres(7 to 11 feet), occasionally or locally reaching near 4.5 metres (near 15 feet).

Wind waves and or wind swells of 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 and worst conditions are likely Tuesday through Thursday.

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 Meteorological Office via antiguamet.com, twitter.com/abmetservice, facebook.com/abmetservice and youtube.com/@abmetservice. Also, stay tuned to and TV along with other media platforms for updates.

Forecaster: Dale Destin