Chesapeake, VA – Chesapeake Bay boaters are urged to seek safe harbor early Sunday as dangerous wind gusts topping 40 knots sweep across the region, prompting a Special Marine Warning through 4:30 a.m.
According to the National Weather Service in Wakefield, a surge of cold air behind a passing front is triggering frequent gusts between 35 and 40 knots across the Bay, especially near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, New Point Comfort, and Smith Point. These hazardous winds, confirmed by marine observations just after 3 a.m., may continue for the next couple of hours, threatening small craft with sudden, higher waves and increased risk of damage.
The warning covers key transit points including Windmill Point, Thimble Shoals, Tangier Island, Onancock Inlet, and the Cabbage Patch area. Mariners traveling near Cape Henry, Tue Marshes Light, and Cape Charles Harbor should avoid open waters and immediately move to sheltered areas.
Small craft operators are advised to delay departures, secure vessels, and monitor local weather radio for updates. The ongoing threat could disrupt early morning plans for commercial and recreational boats along the lower Chesapeake.
Warnings remain in effect through 4:30 a.m., with additional advisories possible if hazardous winds persist.
