USVI-On-Line

Yikes!

...HIGH SURF WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM AST TUESDAY...

...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY

AFTERNOON...

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM TUESDAY TO 6 PM AST

WEDNESDAY...



THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS UPGRADED THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY

TO A HIGH SURF WARNING...AS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS

ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN EXPOSED COASTLINES OF THE LOCAL

ISLANDS THROUGH AT LEAST 8 PM AST TUESDAY. THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY

REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM TUESDAY TO 6 PM AST WEDNESDAY...AS

THE SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY SUBSIDE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE

WEEK. A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY

AFTERNOON.



LARGE...LONG PERIOD...NORTH NORTHEAST SWELLS WILL CONTINUE TO

AFFECT THE ATLANTIC WATERS AND THE CARIBBEAN PASSAGES THROUGH THE

REST OF TODAY...RESULTING IN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS

ACROSS THE NORTHERN EXPOSED COASTLINES OF ALL OF THE LOCAL

ISLANDS. THESE SWELLS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BREAKING WAVES

OF 15 TO 20 FEET...OR LARGER...ALONG THE NORTHERN EXPOSED

SHOALS...REEFS AND BEACHES OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS.



IN ADDITION...A SECOND BATCH OF LARGER NORTH NORTHEAST SWELLS...WITH

VERY LONG WAVE PERIODS OF 14 TO 16 SECONDS...WILL BUILD ACROSS THE

LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS TONIGHT...PEAKING EARLY TUESDAY...BEFORE

SLOWLY SUBSIDING THROUGH MID-WEEK. THESE SWELLS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE

EVEN LARGER BREAKING WAVES OF 20 TO 25 FEET...OR LARGER...ALONG

WITH FREQUENT AND STRONG RIP CURRENTS...RESULTING IN CONTINUED EXTREMELY

DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS.



SIMILAR SWELL EVENTS OF THESE SIZES AND DURATION HAVE ALSO PRODUCED

SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION ALONG PARTS OF THE

NORTHERN COASTS OF PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS...

ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDES.



PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...



HIGH SURF WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN BREAKING WAVE ACTION RESULTS IN

ESPECIALLY HEIGHTENED THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY WITHIN THE SURF

ZONE.



A HIGH SURF WARNING INDICATES THAT DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES WILL

POUND THE SHORELINE. THIS WILL RESULT IN VERY DANGEROUS SWIMMING

CONDITIONS...DEADLY RIP CURRENTS...AND SEVERE BEACH EROSION.



LOCAL BEACH GOERS SHOULD REMAIN OUT OF THE WATERS UNTIL THESE

HAZARDOUS SURF CONDITIONS SUBSIDE...WHICH WILL NOT BE UNTIL THE

MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. IN ADDITION...PERSONS AT THE BEACH SHOULD BE

VIGILANT FOR LARGE BREAKING WAVES SURGING UPON THE SHORE...WHICH

CAN CARRY PEOPLE OF ALL SIZES INTO THE OCEAN. YOU SHOULD AVOID

BEING NEAR THE SHORE LINE AND STAY OFF OF ROCK FORMATIONS.



THESE EXTREMELY LARGE BREAKING WAVES WILL GENERATE STRONG AND

DANGEROUS CURRENTS WITHIN THE SURF ZONE...CALLED RIP CURRENTS.

THESE NARROW OUTWARD FLOWING CURRENTS CAN CARRY PEOPLE AND ANIMALS

AWAY FROM THE COAST LINE AND OUT TO SEA. IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A

RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. CALMLY...REMAIN AFLOAT...GATHER YOUR

BEARINGS RELATIVE TO THE BEACH...AND SWIM PARALLEL TO THE BEACH.

YOU WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE THE GRIP OF THIS NARROW CURRENT...AND BE

ABLE TO SAFELY SWIM TO SHORE.



THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION WILL

BE DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDE.



THE TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF THE NEXT HIGH TIDES FOR THE FOLLOWING

LOCATIONS ARE:



SAN JUAN HARBOR: 0.8 FEET AT 4:50 PM THIS AFTERNOON

1.7 FEET AT 7:12 AM TUESDAY MORNING



MAGENS BAY ST THOMAS: 1.4 FEET AT 8:06 AM TUESDAY MORNING



CHRISTIANSTED ST CROIX: 0.9 FEET AT 6:48 AM TUESDAY MORNING



A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE FOR COASTAL

FLOODING...CAUSING INUNDATION OF COASTAL ROADS...LOW LYING AREAS...

AND BEACH EROSION. RESIDENTS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS SHOULD BE PREPARED

TO TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTIONS IN CASE COASTAL FLOODING OCCURS OR

WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. THIS SITUATION WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED. WHILE

THERE IS STILL TIME...COASTAL RESIDENTS SHOULD MAKE IMPORTANT

PRELIMINARY PLANS TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE AND PROPERTY.



PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION

ON THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MARINE SITUATION FROM YOUR NATIONAL

WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN SAN JUAN.



THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE

INFORMATION...IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SJU

"THESE SWELLS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BREAKING WAVES OF 15 TO 20 FEET..OR LARGER...ALONG THE NORTHERN EXPOSED SHOALS...REEFS AND BEACHES OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS."

Just thought I would hightlight

Pia

I'm not one of them but will people heading back to STT on the car ferry Tuesday or Wednesday have any issues due to the swells (do the car ferries reduce or suspend service?)

It is possible - the sound can get crazy. We crossed one day when it didn't look so bad at first (leaving Red Hook) but when we cleared St. Thomas the whole boat (and I mean one of the bigger ones) pitched in bow first - we were under water for a second and people were freaking out... not cool. If it really gets that bad, I can see suspended service on the ferries happening.

I would love to see photos of the waves from beaches on the north shore of St. John if it's safe enough for a photog to do it.

For all of you who live on island and those who are vacationing during these swells I pray for your safety. Ruth if you sell swimmies you may want to put some on just in case. Be safe everyone!

Wow! It sounds like the beaches will have to be closed.

The car ferry docks on both ends are not exposed to a North swell -- which would be a problem for sure -- Pillsbury Sound is on the average about 75' deep and somewhat protected from the North by Thatch,Grass,Mingo and Lovango Cays - it can get some huge waves flowing in Pillsbury when the full moon or new moon current opposes the wind direction - this situation generally only lasts a few hours - during the max flood or ebb times - the car and people ferries have Captains who are familiar with the waters and do take some alternate headings and adjust the route to make it safe - It can get mighty rolly out there at times though, no question.

TropicAtHeart wrote:I would love to see photos of the waves from beaches on the north shore of St. John if it's safe enough for a photog to do it.

Steve Simonsen may post some shots on Facebook when he gets back, he went to Tortola to surf.

For those who are vacationing, we ran into these several days in November when we were in St. John. Little Lameshur and Salt Pond Bay were nice white sand alternatives and very calm. Still better than a high of 17 degrees and the single digit wind chills we're getting! Happy New Year!

California Girl wrote:Steve Simonsen may post some shots on Facebook when he gets back, he went to Tortola to surf.

Sigh...

Here's a link to Steve Simonsen's webpage with surfing pictures. Nothing posted yet for 2009.
http://homepage.mac.com/ssimonsen/Torto ... ber292009/