Norfolk, VA – Boaters along the Virginia coast and Chesapeake Bay are urged to stay in port as Gale Warnings remain in effect through 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service in Wakefield.
Forecasters report northeast winds of 25 to 35 knots with gusts up to 45 knots, producing waves of 5–9 feet inside the bay and seas up to 14 feet offshore. The warnings include the James River, Currituck Sound, and coastal waters from Fenwick Island, DE, to the North Carolina border.
Conditions will be particularly hazardous near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and Virginia Capes, where strong winds and rough seas could capsize small vessels or damage poorly secured boats. Visibility will also be reduced at times due to blowing spray.
The National Weather Service advises all mariners to avoid open water, secure vessels in safe harbor, and postpone travel until conditions improve late Wednesday morning.
By midweek, winds are expected to slowly diminish, but choppy conditions may persist offshore into Thursday.
