Urgent – Marine Weather Message

Small Craft Advisory

Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services

11:30 am Sunday 17 May, 2026

…Small craft advisory for the Antigua and Barbuda…

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

Timing: From tonight until Tuesday afternoon for Antigua and Barbuda

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 with the potential for significant impacts. A small craft advisory means that wind speeds of 17 to 21 knots or wind waves and or wind swells of 7 feet or greater are occurring or imminent.

Winds over open waters: East at 28 to 39 km/h (15 to 21 knots; 17 to 24 mph), with strong gusts to 61 km/h (33 knots; 38 mph).

Seas (significant wave heights): 1.8 to 2.4 metres (6 to 8 feet), occasionally or locally reaching near 3.1 metres (10 feet). Wind waves and or wind swells up to 2.4 metres or up to 8 feet and occasionally higher. 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 from the Meteorological Office through antiguamet.com and Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @abmetservice. Also, stay tuned to ABS Radio and TV along with other media platforms for updates.

Forecaster: Letitia Humphreys