…High surf advisory issued for the British Virgin Island
Locations to be affected: Reefs and exposed mainly northern and north-facing coastlines with relatively shallow, gently to moderately sloping near shore areas.
Timing: Thursday until Saturday.
Synopsis: Moderate long period swells are expected to reach the area and affect mainly northern and north facing coastlines. The threat level to the life, livelihood, property and infrastructure of those using the affected coastlines is forecast to rise to moderate, with the potential for significant impacts. These swells are expected to cause life-threatening surfs and rip currents for affected coastlines.
A high surf advisory means that dangerous surfs of 2 to 3 meters or 6 to 10 feet will affect some coastlines in the advisory area, producing hazardous conditions.
Seas (significant wave heights): 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 7 feet), occasionally or locally reaching near 2.7 meters (9 feet). Swell period: 9 to 14 seconds.
Swells: North at 1.2 to 2 meters (4 to 6 feet) and occasionally higher.
Surfs (breaking swells): Over 2 meters (over 6 feet). These conditions are conducive for dangerous rip currents. Please note that surfs could be as much as twice the height of swells, depending on the bathymetry of the near shore areas.
Coastal flooding: High tides combine with onshore wind and swell actions could result in localized coastal flooding and beach erosion.
Potential Impacts: Loss of life–strong currents that can carry even the strongest swimmers out to sea; injuries to beachgoers; beach erosion; sea water splashing onto low lying coastal roads; beach closures; localized disruptions to marine recreation and businesses; financial losses; damage to coral reefs; saltwater intrusion and disruptions to potable water from desalination. High surfs can knock spectators off exposed rocks and jetties.
Precautionary: Beachgoers should be extremely cautious; bathe only where lifeguards are present or the sheltered, less affected beaches, mainly to the south.
Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from shore, which occur most often at low spots or breaks in the sandbar and near structures such as groins, jetties and piers. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don`t swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.
Please continue to monitor these hazardous, life-threatening marine conditions.
𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙧: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 (𝘿𝘿𝙈) 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙈𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙊𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖 𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝘿𝙈 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨. 𝘽𝙮 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝘿𝘿𝙈 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙑𝙄 𝙂𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨, 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚.