High Surf Advisory for Maryland and Virginia ocean beaches through Sunday evening; Small Craft Advisories through Monday for Bay and coastal zones

Update, Tuesday October 13 at 6:37 PM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC re-issued Coastal Flood Advisories for Anne Arundel County and Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria at 6:37 PM EDT, running through 10:00 PM EDT and 1:00 AM EDT respectively. Minor inundation of low-lying tidal waterfront areas is expected during evening and overnight high-tide cycles. Waterfront access roads, boat ramp approaches, and marina parking along the Annapolis waterfront, Sandy Point, the Tidal Potomac corridor through DC, and Northern Virginia tidal areas may see standing water through late evening and midnight. The Small Craft Advisories that were in effect through Monday evening have expired. Check weather.gov/lwx for current zone status. NWS products are the pre-launch check.

Update, Monday October 12 at 10:03 AM EDT: NWS Wakefield VA (weather.gov/akq) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 10:03 AM EDT for all Virginia Bay and coastal ocean zones, confirming advisory conditions through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. The re-issuance covers: Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point VA to Windmill Point VA and from Windmill Point VA to New Point Comfort VA; Chesapeake Bay from New Point Comfort VA to Little Creek VA; Chesapeake Bay from Little Creek VA to Cape Henry VA including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel; coastal waters from Fenwick Island DE to Chincoteague VA out 20 NM and from Chincoteague VA to Parramore Island VA out 20 NM; coastal waters from Parramore Island VA to Cape Charles Light VA out 20 NM and from Cape Charles Light VA to the Virginia-North Carolina border out 20 NM; and coastal waters from the North Carolina-Virginia border to Currituck Beach Light NC out 20 NM. All expiry windows remain at 6:00 PM EDT Monday, unchanged from prior Wakefield VA products. Afternoon departures from any lower Chesapeake Bay port south of Smith Point VA, the Bay Bridge-Tunnel corridor, Cape Charles, Wachapreague, Chincoteague, and the Virginia barrier island access points remain inside active advisory zones through Monday evening. Check weather.gov/akq for current zone text before any departure. NWS products are the pre-launch check.

Update, Monday October 12 at 7:02 AM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC (weather.gov/lwx) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 7:02 AM EDT, confirming active advisory conditions across the full Chesapeake Bay Monday morning. The northern and mid Bay corridor — Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD, Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD, Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD, Tidal Potomac from Key Bridge to Indian Head MD, Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD, Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor, Chester River to Queenstown MD, Eastern Bay, Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River, and Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD — runs through 3:00 PM EDT. Chesapeake Bay from North Beach to Drum Point MD, Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA, Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA, and Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island run through 6:00 PM EDT. The 7:02 AM re-issuance carries the same expiry windows as the 1:03 AM EDT overnight product; no zones have been shortened or cancelled. Anglers planning Monday morning or midday departures — Annapolis, Sandy Point, Kent Island, Baltimore Harbor, Rock Hall, Eastern Shore tributary ramps, Solomons Island, Point Lookout, Crisfield, and the Tangier Sound corridor — remain inside active advisory zones through at least 3:00 PM EDT and in lower Bay zones through 6:00 PM EDT. Confirm current zone text at weather.gov/lwx before any Monday departure. A Small Craft Advisory indicates sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots or combined seas of 7 feet or more. NWS products are the pre-launch check.

Update, Monday October 12 at 5:46 AM EDT: NWS Wakefield VA (weather.gov/akq) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 5:46 AM EDT for the full Virginia and lower Chesapeake Bay coastal corridor, confirming advisory conditions through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. The re-issuance covers: Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point VA to Windmill Point VA and from Windmill Point to New Point Comfort VA; Chesapeake Bay from New Point Comfort to Little Creek VA; Chesapeake Bay from Little Creek VA to Cape Henry VA including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel; coastal waters from Fenwick Island DE to Chincoteague VA out 20 NM and from Chincoteague to Parramore Island VA out 20 NM; coastal waters from Parramore Island to Cape Charles Light VA out 20 NM and from Cape Charles Light to the Virginia-North Carolina border out 20 NM; and coastal waters from the North Carolina-Virginia border to Currituck Beach Light NC out 20 NM. The 6:00 PM EDT Monday expiry is unchanged from prior Wakefield VA issuances. Monday departures from any port on the lower Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point VA, the Bay Bridge-Tunnel crossing corridor, Cape Charles, Wachapreague, Chincoteague, and Virginia barrier island access points remain inside active advisory zones through Monday evening. Check weather.gov/akq for current zone text before any Monday departure. NWS products are the pre-launch check.

Update, Monday October 12 at 1:03 AM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC (weather.gov/lwx) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 1:03 AM EDT for the full Chesapeake Bay, confirming active advisory conditions through Monday. The upper and mid Bay corridor — Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD, Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD, Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD, Tidal Potomac from Key Bridge to Indian Head MD, Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD, Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor, Chester River to Queenstown MD, Eastern Bay, Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River, and Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD — runs through 3:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. Chesapeake Bay from North Beach to Drum Point MD, Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA, Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA, and Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island run through 6:00 PM EDT Monday. The Coastal Flood Advisory for Southeast Harford County issued last night expired at 1:00 AM EDT; no follow-on coastal flood product is in effect for that zone. Morning departures from Annapolis, the Bay Bridge area, Kent Island, Baltimore Harbor, Solomons Island, Point Lookout, Crisfield, and the Tangier Sound corridor are inside active SCA zones — upper and mid Bay through afternoon, lower Bay and Tangier Sound through evening. Confirm current zone text at weather.gov/lwx before any Monday departure. A Small Craft Advisory indicates sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots or combined seas of 7 feet or more. NWS products are the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 8:31 PM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC (weather.gov/lwx) issued a Coastal Flood Advisory at 8:31 PM EDT for Southeast Harford County, running through 1:00 AM EDT Monday, October 12. The advisory covers low-lying tidal waterfront areas along the upper Chesapeake Bay shoreline in Harford County — the Bush River and Gunpowder River tidal corridor northeast of Baltimore. Minor inundation is possible at the evening high tide cycle; waterfront access roads, boat ramp approaches, and marina access along the Harford County upper Bay shore may see standing water through midnight. The Small Craft Advisory for upper Bay zones, including the Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD through Sandy Point MD, remains in effect through 3:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC products are at weather.gov/lwx. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 6:58 PM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC re-issued Coastal Flood Advisories at 6:58 PM EDT and added a new zone. Anne Arundel County and Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria remain under Coastal Flood Advisory through 11:00 PM EDT, continuing the coverage noted in the 6:05 PM EDT update below. A separate advisory issued at 6:58 PM EDT adds Southern Baltimore through 10:00 PM EDT — the Inner Harbor, Federal Hill, South Baltimore, and Curtis Bay tidal waterfront corridor. Minor inundation of low-lying waterfront areas is possible during the evening high tide cycle; waterfront access roads, boat ramp approaches, and marina parking along the Southern Baltimore tidal shoreline may see standing water through 10:00 PM EDT. The Small Craft Advisory for the full Chesapeake Bay continues: upper Bay zones through 3:00 PM EDT Monday, lower Bay through 6:00 PM EDT Monday. NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC products are at weather.gov/lwx. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 6:05 PM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC issued Coastal Flood Advisories at 6:05 PM EDT for two tidal Potomac zones through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11. The Anne Arundel County advisory re-extends the minor coastal flooding flag for the Annapolis waterfront, Sandy Point, and the South River tidal corridor through late evening. A new Coastal Flood Advisory covers Arlington County, Falls Church, and Alexandria — the tidal Potomac shoreline through the DC metro — also through 11:00 PM EDT. A Coastal Flood Advisory indicates minor inundation of low-lying waterfront areas during high tide cycles; boat ramp approaches, waterfront parking, and tidal channel access along these corridors may see standing water. The Small Craft Advisory for the full Chesapeake Bay remains in effect: upper Bay zones through 3:00 PM EDT Monday, lower Bay through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, and Bay Bridge-Tunnel through 6:00 PM EDT Monday. NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC products are at weather.gov/lwx. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 4:55 PM EDT: NWS Wakefield VA (weather.gov/akq) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 4:55 PM EDT for three Virginia zones, extending their expiry through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12: coastal waters from Parramore Island to Cape Charles Light VA out 20 NM, coastal waters from Cape Charles Light to the Virginia-North Carolina border out 20 NM, and Chesapeake Bay from Little Creek VA to Cape Henry VA including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. The 10:33 AM EDT issuance had set these zones to expire at 4:00 PM EDT Monday; the 4:55 PM EDT re-issuance extends the advisory window by two hours. Virginia coastal ocean access points — including Cape Charles and the Eastern Shore barrier island ramps near Wachapreague — and the Bay Bridge-Tunnel corridor at the lower Bay entrance remain inside active SCA zones through Monday evening. A Small Craft Advisory indicates sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots or combined seas of 7 feet or more. NWS Wakefield VA products are at weather.gov/akq. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 4:09 PM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 4:09 PM EDT for the upper and mid Chesapeake Bay, extending advisory coverage through Monday October 12. The 4:09 PM EDT issuance supersedes the 2:37 PM EDT product, which had an expiry of 10:45 PM EDT Sunday. The following zones are now under SCA through 3:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12: Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD, Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD, Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD, Tidal Potomac from Key Bridge to Indian Head MD, Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD, Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor, Chester River to Queenstown MD, Eastern Bay, Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River, and Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD. Chesapeake Bay from North Beach to Drum Point MD is under a separate SCA through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. Advisory conditions now cover the full Columbus Day Monday fishing window on the upper and mid Bay. Anglers planning Monday departures from Annapolis, Sandy Point, Kent Island, the Bay Bridge area, Baltimore Harbor, Rock Hall, the Choptank tributaries, Eastern Bay ramps, or any Patuxent River or Tidal Potomac corridor are inside active SCA zones through Monday afternoon at the earliest. A Small Craft Advisory indicates sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots or combined seas of 7 feet or more. NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC marine products are at weather.gov/lwx. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 2:37 PM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 2:37 PM EDT for the full Chesapeake Bay, confirming SCA coverage for the three lower Bay zones that had been in unconfirmed status since the early-morning Gale Warning cancellation. The lower Bay zones — Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA, Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA, and Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island — are now confirmed under Small Craft Advisory through 10:45 PM EDT Sunday. The upper and mid Bay corridor — Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD through Drum Point MD, the Tidal Potomac from Key Bridge to Cobb Island MD, Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor, Chester River to Queenstown MD, Eastern Bay, Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River, and Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD — is also confirmed under SCA through 10:45 PM EDT Sunday. Anglers planning any Sunday evening departure from Solomons Island, Point Lookout, Crisfield, or the Tangier Sound corridor are inside active SCA zones through late evening. NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC marine products are at weather.gov/lwx. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 1:45 PM EDT: All Gale Warnings for the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia coastal zones have ended. At 1:03 PM EDT, NWS Wakefield VA issued Small Craft Advisories as follow-on products for the Delaware and Virginia offshore corridor: coastal waters from Fenwick Island DE to Chincoteague VA out 20 NM and from Chincoteague to Parramore Island VA out 20 NM transition from Gale Warning (expiring 4:00 PM EDT today) to SCA through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. Lower Chesapeake Bay zones are under SCA through 6:00 PM EDT Monday: Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point VA to Windmill Point VA, Windmill Point to New Point Comfort VA, and New Point Comfort to Little Creek VA. High Surf Advisories for Maryland Beaches and Virginia's Eastern Shore (Accomack and Northampton counties) from the 11:35 AM EDT issuance remain active through 7:45 PM EDT. Breaking wave heights of 5 to 8 feet on ocean-facing beaches from Ocean City MD south through the Assateague Island National Seashore and the Virginia barrier island coast. Anglers planning Monday departures from any Delaware inlet, Ocean City MD, Chincoteague VA, Virginia barrier island ramp, or lower Bay port from the Potomac River entrance south to the Bay Bridge-Tunnel should verify current zone status at weather.gov/akq before launching. NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC products are at weather.gov/lwx. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 11:35 AM EDT: NWS Wakefield VA (weather.gov/akq) re-issued High Surf Advisories at 11:35 AM EDT for Maryland Beaches and Virginia's Eastern Shore (Accomack and Northampton counties). Both advisories run through 7:45 PM EDT Sunday, October 11. Breaking wave heights of 5 to 8 feet are forecast on ocean-facing beaches from Ocean City MD south through the Assateague Island National Seashore and the Virginia barrier island coast. Anglers planning any ocean or inlet trip at Ocean City Inlet, Chincoteague, or the Virginia Eastern Shore barrier island access points should confirm current conditions at weather.gov/akq before departing. In the same 11:35 AM EDT issuance, NWS Wakefield VA re-issued Coastal Flood Advisories for two Northern Neck shoreline zones: Lancaster, Middlesex, and Mathews counties through 4:00 PM EDT; Westmoreland, Richmond, Northumberland, and Essex counties (Western and Eastern) through 6:00 PM EDT. These advisories were first issued Saturday evening; the 11:35 AM EDT re-issuance maintains minor tidal inundation risk for low-lying Northern Neck waterfront areas through Sunday afternoon. Boat ramp approaches, waterfront parking, and coastal roads along the Northern Neck tidal corridor from the Rappahannock River mouth north through the lower Potomac shore may see standing water at high tide cycles through late Sunday afternoon. NWS Wakefield VA products are at weather.gov/akq. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 10:33 AM EDT: NWS Wakefield VA (weather.gov/akq) issued Small Craft Advisories at 10:33 AM EDT for three zones: Chesapeake Bay from Little Creek VA to Cape Henry VA including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, Coastal waters from Parramore Island to Cape Charles Light VA out 20 NM, and Coastal waters from Cape Charles Light VA to the Virginia-North Carolina border out 20 NM. All three advisories run through 4:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. Earlier Gale Warnings for the Chesapeake Bay Little Creek-to-Cape Henry zone and the Virginia coastal ocean zones, issued at 8:20 AM EDT Sunday with a noon expiry, were cancelled and replaced by these advisories. A Small Craft Advisory indicates sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots or combined seas of 7 feet or more. Anglers planning Sunday afternoon or Monday departures from Virginia coastal ocean ports, including Cape Charles and the Eastern Shore barrier island access points near Wachapreague, are inside active SCA zones through Monday afternoon. The NWS Baltimore Small Craft Advisory for upper and mid Bay zones remains in effect through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday; check weather.gov/lwx for that status. The zone text for any specific departure water is at weather.gov/akq. NWS products are the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 5:35 AM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC issued a Coastal Flood Advisory for Anne Arundel County at 5:35 AM EDT, running through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11. The Coastal Flood Watch previously in effect for Anne Arundel County has been replaced by this advisory. A Coastal Flood Advisory indicates minor inundation of low-lying waterfront areas during high tide cycles; the Annapolis waterfront and Sandy Point are within this zone. Boat ramp approaches and waterfront parking along the Anne Arundel tidal shoreline may see standing water at high tide through Sunday evening. The Small Craft Advisory for upper and mid Bay zones through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday remains in effect. NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC products are at weather.gov/lwx. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Sunday October 11 at 4:05 AM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 4:05 AM EDT for the upper and mid Bay zone corridor: Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD, Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD, Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD, Chesapeake Bay from North Beach to Drum Point MD, Tidal Potomac from Key Bridge to Indian Head MD, Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD, Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor, Chester River to Queenstown MD, Eastern Bay, Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River, and Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD. The advisory runs through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11. The Gale Warning for the three lower Bay zones — Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA, Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA, and Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island — has been cancelled. The current status of those lower Bay zones is not confirmed by this issuance; check weather.gov/lwx for the latest NWS Baltimore products before any Sunday departure from Solomons Island, Point Lookout, Crisfield, or the Tangier Sound corridor. A Small Craft Advisory indicates sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots or combined seas of 7 feet or more. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Saturday October 10 at 10:42 PM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC re-issued a Gale Warning at 10:34 PM EDT for the three lower Bay zones — Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA, Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA, and Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island — through 11:00 AM EDT Sunday, October 11. Sunday morning departures from Solomons Island, Point Lookout, Crisfield, or anywhere on the Tangier Sound corridor are inside an active Gale Warning, not the SCA described in the 10:00 PM EDT correction below. Gale Warning conditions indicate sustained winds of 34 to 47 knots. The Small Craft Advisory for those three lower Bay zones takes effect when the Gale Warning expires at 11:00 AM EDT Sunday and runs through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday. Check weather.gov/lwx for current zone status before any departure.

At 10:37 PM EDT, NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC issued a Coastal Flood Watch for Anne Arundel County through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11. Watch level — one tier above the advisory in effect for Virginia Northern Neck zones — indicates coastal flooding is possible; the Sandy Point and Annapolis waterfront areas are within this zone. At 10:42 PM EDT, NWS Wakefield VA posted High Surf Advisories for Maryland Beaches and Virginia's Eastern Shore (Accomack and Northampton counties) through 6:00 PM EDT Sunday. Hazardous surf with breaking waves of 5 to 8 feet is forecast on ocean-facing beaches. Anglers planning ocean or inlet trips on the Eastern Shore or Maryland coast on Sunday should confirm conditions at weather.gov/akq before launching.

Update, Saturday October 10 at 10:00 PM EDT: Correction on the lower Bay SCA end time from the 3:12 PM update below: the NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC Small Craft Advisory for the three lower Bay zones — Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA, Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA, and Tangier Sound — runs through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11, not through 5:00 AM EDT Sunday. The advisory covers the full Sunday daylight fishing window on the lower Bay. Any departure from the lower Bay on Sunday morning or afternoon is inside an active SCA. Check weather.gov/lwx for current zone status.

Update, Saturday October 10 at 9:15 PM EDT: Coastal Flood Advisories are in effect for Virginia tidal shoreline zones along the lower Bay western shore and the Northern Neck. Lancaster, Middlesex, and Mathews counties are under advisory through 4:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11; Westmoreland, Richmond, Northumberland, and Essex counties are under advisory through 6:00 PM EDT Sunday. Both zones are forecast for up to one foot of inundation in low-lying waterfront locations; boat ramp approaches, waterfront parking areas, and coastal roads may see minor flooding during high tide cycles through Sunday afternoon. The Northern Neck corridor from the Rappahannock River mouth north through the lower Potomac shore is the primary affected area. Anglers accessing ramps at Deltaville, Reedville, Kilmarnock, or other Northern Neck waterfront locations should check local road and ramp conditions before heading out through Sunday. NWS Wakefield VA products for Virginia coastal zones are at weather.gov/akq. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

Update, Saturday October 10 at 3:12 PM EDT: NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC upgraded three lower Bay zones from Small Craft Advisory to Gale Warning at 3:12 PM EDT Saturday. The Gale Warning covers the Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA, the Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA, and Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island. The warning expires at 11:00 PM EDT Saturday, October 10. A Gale Warning indicates sustained winds of 34 to 47 knots. In the same issuance, NWS Baltimore issued a Small Craft Advisory for those same three lower Bay zones taking effect when the Gale Warning expires at 11:00 PM EDT Saturday and running through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11 — the full Sunday daylight fishing window. Anglers departing from Solomons Island, Point Lookout, Crisfield, or the Tangier Sound corridor on Sunday morning or afternoon are inside an active SCA; confirm current zone status at weather.gov/lwx before launching. Upper Bay zones north of Drum Point MD and the Maryland tributaries remain under Small Craft Advisory through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11. Any departure from the lower Bay on Saturday evening is inside an active Gale Warning zone. Check weather.gov/lwx for current products before any launch. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC issued Small Craft Advisories at 1:52 PM EDT Saturday, October 10, covering the tidal Chesapeake Bay from its upper reaches through the Virginia Bay corridor and the Bay's principal Maryland tributaries. All zones run through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday, October 11.

The advisory covers: Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD; Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD; Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD; Chesapeake Bay from North Beach to Drum Point MD; Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA; Tidal Potomac River from Key Bridge to Indian Head MD, from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD, and from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA; Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor; Chester River to Queenstown MD; Eastern Bay; Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River; Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD; and Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island.

A Small Craft Advisory indicates sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots or combined seas of 7 feet or more. The advisory runs through Sunday evening, covering the prime October window for mid-Bay striped bass structure fishing and tautog on Eastern Shore hard bottom. Crews departing from Annapolis, Kent Island, the Bay Bridge area, the Choptank tributaries, Eastern Bay ramps, the Patuxent River mouth, or any lower-Bay Maryland ramp should confirm current zone conditions at weather.gov/lwx before launching through Sunday.

An earlier Small Craft Advisory issued at 1:43 AM EDT Saturday for a partially overlapping set of zones was superseded by the 1:52 PM EDT issuance. The current advisory is the active product.

NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC marine products for the Chesapeake Bay are at weather.gov/lwx. This is a conditions notice; the zone text for the specific departure water is the pre-launch check.

On the water: Rules and conditions can change quickly. Confirm current regulations and official marine forecasts for your exact trip.