🌊 US Weather Warriors MarineCast — Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Small Craft Advisories are up across most of the Chesapeake and tributaries as a strong NW push delivers 25-30 kt gusts and building seas tonight.
Today on the Water: Multiple SCAs are active on the Chesapeake from north of Pooles Island down through the Virginia bay waters, with most running into Wednesday morning. A Flood Watch covers the lower Virginia tidewater through this evening. Showers and a chance of thunderstorms move in tonight with the strongest winds arriving after dark.
Atlantic Coastal Waters (Lewes → southern VA coast): NW winds build to 20-25 kt tonight with gusts to 30 kt, easing to N 10-15 kt and gusts 20 kt late. Seas run 3-4 ft, occasionally 6 ft, with showers and a chance of thunderstorms early evening. Radar shows three cells 29-43 nm SE of Cape Charles moving WSW to SW at 19-25 kt — they are tracking back toward the southern Eastern Shore, so watch for redevelopment near the VA coast.
Delaware Bay: N winds 10-15 kt with gusts to 25 kt tonight, seas 2-3 ft, showers and a chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Conditions ease sharply by Wednesday night with SW 5-10 kt and seas a foot or less.
Chesapeake Bay & Delmarva-facing Waters: NW 20-25 kt with gusts to 30 kt tonight, shifting N 15-20 kt with gusts to 25 kt after midnight. Wave detail NW 3 ft at 4 seconds — short, steep, and uncomfortable. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms early evening. NWS Baltimore notes Special Marine Warnings may be needed south of the Bay Bridge and across the lower tidal Potomac.
Wind & Seas Outlook: Peak wind and peak seas both arrive tonight. A clean knockdown follows, with Wednesday night the calmest stretch: S 5 kt and seas 1-2 ft across all three zones.
Marine Alerts:
- Small Craft Advisory — upper Chesapeake (north of Pooles Island, Patapsco/Baltimore Harbor) until 6:00 PM EDT today
- Small Craft Advisory — middle Chesapeake (Pooles Island to Drum Point MD) until 11:00 AM EDT Wednesday
- Small Craft Advisory — lower Chesapeake (Smith Point to Little Creek VA) until 4:00 AM EDT Wednesday
- Flood Watch — lower VA tidewater (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads) until 10:00 PM EDT today
Best Window to be Out: Wednesday night — S 5 kt, seas 1-2 ft, calm across all three zones. Today is not the day.
Worst Window: Tonight, especially the early evening band when 30-kt gusts and thunderstorms overlap.
Bottom Line: Stay tied up — SCAs, thunderstorms, and 30-kt gusts make today a write-off; wait for Wednesday night.
— US Weather Warriors #DelmarvaWeather #MarineWeather #BoatingWeather