🌊 US Weather Warriors MarineCast — Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Small Craft Advisories are active on much of the Chesapeake, with southerly winds building today and the roughest conditions arriving tonight.
Today on the Water: Small Craft Advisories continue into early Thursday across multiple Chesapeake zones, with 20 kt gust potential strongest this evening and tonight due to channeling. Radar is quiet across Delmarva, with no active cells within 50 nm; showers and thunderstorms remain in the forecast at times.
Atlantic Coastal Waters (Lewes → southern VA coast): Detailed wind and sea values for today are limited for the coastal waters. The next notable deterioration is Thu Night: S winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt, easing to SW 5 to 10 kt after midnight; seas build to 3 to 4 ft. Showers are possible.
Delaware Bay: N winds around 5 kt become SE late this morning and afternoon, with seas 1 ft or less. This is the best-defined local window today, but conditions trend rougher Thu Night with S winds 10 to 15 kt, gusts to 20 kt, and seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers and thunderstorms are possible then.
Chesapeake Bay & Delmarva-facing Waters: Small Craft Advisory conditions affect much of the Bay. Southerly winds increase this afternoon, with the best chance for 20 kt gusts this evening and tonight. Tonight, S winds run 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt; waves build to 2 to 3 ft. Showers may develop after midnight.
Wind & Seas Outlook: The peak wind period is this evening through Thu Night, with southerly 10 to 15 kt winds and gusts up to 20 kt. The highest seas arrive Thu Night offshore at 3 to 4 ft; Delaware Bay reaches 2 to 3 ft.
Marine Alerts:
- Small Craft Advisory for Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island through Drum Point, until Thursday, August 27 at 6:00 AM EDT.
- Small Craft Advisory for Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point to New Point Comfort, until Thursday, August 27 at 4:00 AM EDT.
- Small Craft Advisory for Chesapeake Bay from New Point Comfort to Little Creek, until Thursday, August 27 at 1:00 AM EDT.
Best Window to be Out: Late this morning through this afternoon on Delaware Bay, before the stronger southerly push develops; expect N winds around 5 kt becoming SE and seas 1 ft or less.
Worst Window: This evening through Thu Night on the Chesapeake and offshore, when 20 kt gusts, building waves, and showers or thunderstorms are possible.
Bottom Line: Launch plans are workable on Delaware Bay today, but Chesapeake boaters should treat the active advisories and tonight’s building southerlies as a stand-down signal.
— US Weather Warriors #DelmarvaWeather #MarineWeather #BoatingWeather