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Dangerous & destructive sea swells forecast to hit Caribbean from Sunday

- DDM issues high surf warning
The shorelines of Antigua and much of the Caribbean are expected to be hit with dangerous and destructive sea swells beginning Sunday March 4, 2018 and continuing until Friday March 9, 2018. Photo: sciencing
According to the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services today, March 3, 2018, hazardous sea conditions are also expected as long period northerly swells will begin to affect the area late Sunday March 3, 2018; warnings and advisories are likely to be issued. Photo: DDM BVI
According to the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services today, March 3, 2018, hazardous sea conditions are also expected as long period northerly swells will begin to affect the area late Sunday March 3, 2018; warnings and advisories are likely to be issued. Photo: DDM BVI
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Dangerous and destructive sea swells have been forecast to wreak havoc on the shorelines of Antigua and much of the Caribbean beginning Sunday March 4, 2018 and continuing until Friday March 9, 2018.

Windmageddon to produce Swellmageddon

Anu Met Service, in a publication on March 3, 2018, said gigantic low-pressure system, nicknamed windmageddon due to widespread damage and power outages it caused across the Northeast United States, is about to cause swellmageddon. Swellmageddon because the low-pressure area will cause enormous, Large and dangerous battering swells, peaking in excess of 4 m (13 ft), are expected to pommel our shoreline starting This is expected to be the worse swell event thus far for the winter season.

Such high swells will produce even higher surfs that will result in beach closures as swimming conditions will become extremely dangerous for beachgoers.

It said a high surf warning is expected to be issued by the Met Office for Antigua and the rest of the northeast Caribbean. Other Offices are expected to issue warnings for as far west as the Bahamas and extending south to the Windward islands. Swells could exceed 5 m (17 ft) across the Bahamas.

According to the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services on March 3, 2018, hazardous sea conditions are also expected as long period northerly swells will begin to affect the area late Sunday; warnings and advisories are likely to be issued.

The impact on shorelines will not be the same everywhere. Depending on the depth and the natural shelter of the coastal waters the impact will be different. Shallow north-facing shorelines are expected to see the highest swells and surfs.

In open waters, the swells from swellmageddon will be virtually harmless to small craft operators as they will be long-period waves with gentle gradients.

Windmageddon, according to Anu Met Service, will not cause any destructive winds across us, far from, but it will cause them to come from some very unusual directions for this part of the world. “They are going to becoming from the south, west and north at times over the next several days before return the usual direction of east next weekend.”

UPDATE: DDM issues high surf warning

Meanwhile, DDM's Director Sharlene S. DaBreo shared with this news site that the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services today, March 4, 2018, issued a special marine statement for high surfs, which is in effect for the [British] Virgin Islands from 8:00 A.M. Sunday until 4 P.M. Friday, March 9, 2018.

The statement advised that northly swells will cause hazardous breaking waves (high surfs), life threatening rip currents and potentially flooding of some low-lying coastal areas.

High surf (sea-bather) warning is in effect especially for exposed and shallow coastal areas.

High surfs (breaking swells): Seas of 2.5 to 4.5 metres or 8 to 15 feet and occasionally higher, with breaking waves up to 5.5 metres or 18 feet, mainly on northern shorelines of the [British] Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Barbuda.

Coastal flooding: High tides combine with onshore wind and swell actions is expected to result in some coastal flooding and beach erosion, especially around high tides.

22 Responses to “Dangerous & destructive sea swells forecast to hit Caribbean from Sunday”

  • wize up (03/03/2018, 21:15) Like (3) Dislike (5) Reply
    welcome to 2019 and I hope this pheromone is not an indication of what’s in store this hurricane season.....
    • Luvz (04/03/2018, 07:18) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
      2019?? I am sure you meant 2018. We are forecast to have a very active hurricane season.
  • Maryland (03/03/2018, 21:28) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    I think it is everywhere, we had a bad wind storm on Friday.
  • ... (03/03/2018, 21:38) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Wow
  • chad (03/03/2018, 22:35) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    This is armageddon time
    • wize up (04/03/2018, 08:54) Like (1) Dislike (6) Reply
      @ WOW: you have been reading the “Good Book” and it must be fulfilled: today’s happenings are right in the Bible......
  • chad (03/03/2018, 22:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So are ferries running tomorrow....Sunday?
  • church (03/03/2018, 22:58) Like (9) Dislike (12) Reply
    Father god coming for his world
  • Alarming (03/03/2018, 23:22) Like (0) Dislike (9) Reply
    Much to do about nothing!
  • Just Woke (04/03/2018, 07:08) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    When ? Needs to go beach. Live close to Sea. Ain't seeing it.
  • bvi (04/03/2018, 10:57) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    The Bible has to be fulfilled and it’s fulfilling. I pray for mercy upon us and that we surrender, repent and live holy for God. We are in the last and final days.
  • NezRez (04/03/2018, 11:05) Like (6) Dislike (5) Reply
    If the ocean starts bringing too much water at the beach, with no alarm systems in place, how will we know to evacuate if we are sleeping? I would hope police and fire department will come down with sirens blasting telling us to get out.
  • pete (04/03/2018, 13:38) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
    this is a good example about building so close to the water with no protection. We need to build wiser and safer.
    just because the sea looks calm most of the time doesn't mean we have to be willful about building where we want on shifting landfill.
    Respect Mother Nature and its potential at all times. Setbacks, engineering, good design, massing, and height all contribute to destruction that could have been avoided.
  • LADY G (04/03/2018, 13:48) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is nothing new. For years this been happening after every winter storm up north the Atlantic ocean goes crazy after 3 days. Ask the people who lives in the bay areas. That's nature.
  • NezRez (05/03/2018, 11:18) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Yes, this happens all the time, but with no warning systems in place, how will we know to evacuate? Is that too much to ask for? If it was you wouldn’t you want to be warned? Y’all just like talking crap when it doesn’t involve you. People build everywhere and there should be tsunami systems working at all times. Yeah they were damaged by the hurricanes, but they need to be replaced ASAP. I’m a BVIlander who pay taxes and should not expect less by asking for police and fire department to blast their horns when danger is approaching.
  • Junnie (05/03/2018, 22:15) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    @ Pete, so you were lucky to have family land in a safe area. My family land is coastline, nice when the weather is good but hell when it's not. Stop bragging because you were lucky.
  • Name nick (06/03/2018, 16:23) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Maya express


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