Hazardous Marine Conditions Expected Throughout the Week; Rain and Thunderstorms Possible

The National Weather Service (NWS) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has explained that marine conditions around the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico will be hazardous through at least the end of the week. Rainfall and isolated thunderstorms are also expected across the local islands.

“Over the next few days, the primary hazards will be focused on life-threatening rip currents and hazardous marine conditions for small craft, driven by northeasterly swells and strengthening winds,” according to an update from the NWS on Wednesday. “These winds will bring breezy to locally windy conditions to land areas,” it continued. The NWS explained that powerful northeasterly swells, combined with gusty winds out of the east-northeast, will cause wave heights to increase up to 10 feet or higher.

“Rough and hazardous seas, driven by northeasterly swells and locally strong winds, will create life-threatening rip current conditions for beachgoers along the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico’s northern and northeastern-facing beaches,” the NWS warned. “As additional pulses of northeasterly swells move through the region, these dangerous conditions [are expected to] persist through at least late Thursday and may spread to other surf zone areas,” the NWS added. Marine alerts have been issued for portions of both Puerto Rico and the USVI, including a High Rip Current Risk and a Small Craft Advisory until at least 6 p.m. on Friday.