🌊 US Weather Warriors MarineCast — Saturday, August 8, 2026
Small Craft Advisory conditions develop on portions of the Chesapeake and nearby waters later this afternoon and evening as southerly channeling strengthens.
Today on the Water:
The Small Craft Advisory is in effect through 12:00 AM EDT for portions of the Chesapeake Bay, Tidal Potomac, Tangier Sound, and surrounding inland waters.
Expect the roughest conditions tonight, with showers and thunderstorms possible during the evening. Radar is currently quiet, with no active cells within 50 nm of Delmarva.
Open Atlantic waters will be the roughest area, with short-period southerly wave energy adding to the chop.
Atlantic Coastal Waters (Lewes → southern VA coast):
Winds turn southerly at 15 to 20 kt tonight, with gusts up to 25 kt, then shift southwest at 10 to 15 kt after midnight.
Seas build to 3 to 4 ft, occasionally 6 ft, with a chance of evening showers and thunderstorms. The better offshore window is Sun Night, when southwest winds ease to 5 to 10 kt and seas settle near 2 ft.
Delaware Bay:
Southwest winds run 5 to 10 kt today with seas around 2 ft; winds hold near 10 kt tonight.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms is in the evening forecast. The lighter Bay window arrives Sun Night with southwest winds around 5 kt and seas 1 ft or less.
Chesapeake Bay & Delmarva-facing Waters:
Southwest winds increase to 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt today, with waves around 2 ft.
The advisory targets exposed Chesapeake and adjacent inland waters later this afternoon and evening due to southerly channeling. Conditions improve Sun with west winds near 5 kt and waves less than 1 ft.
Wind & Seas Outlook:
The peak wind and sea period is tonight, led by Atlantic winds of 15 to 20 kt and seas occasionally reaching 6 ft.
Lighter conditions are indicated Sun and Sun Night across the Bay and coastal waters.
Marine Alerts:
- Small Craft Advisory for Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA, Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA, Tangier Sound, and surrounding inland waters — until 12:00 AM EDT.
Best Window to be Out: Sun daytime on the Chesapeake Bay, with west winds near 5 kt and waves less than 1 ft.
Worst Window: Tonight offshore, where 3 to 4 ft seas may occasionally reach 6 ft amid 15 to 20 kt winds and possible thunderstorms.
Bottom Line: Skip exposed coastal runs tonight; sheltered Bay waters improve Sun, but today’s late-afternoon and evening advisory period deserves respect.
— US Weather Warriors #DelmarvaWeather #MarineWeather #BoatingWeather