The nor’easter forecasters have been watching all week is now close enough to bring Storm Warnings to Massachusetts and Rhode Island waters. Six separate marine zones are covered from Friday morning through Saturday evening.
The NWS Boston/Norton office issued the warnings. Winds could gust as high as 60 mph over open water, with seas building to 26 feet in the roughest zones.
Cape Cod and the Islands: The Highest Seas
Waters south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket face the worst conditions on the map. Forecasters call for seas of 21 to 26 feet from 2 AM Friday to 8 PM Saturday, with northeast winds gusting to 60 mph.
Waters from Provincetown to Chatham and Nantucket, out to 60 nautical miles, see nearly as rough conditions. Seas there could reach 25 feet, with the warning starting at 8 AM Friday.
Closer to shore, Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay face lower but still dangerous seas of 7 to 10 feet. Winds there could gust to 55 mph.
Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay
Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay are under warning from 11 AM Friday to 8 PM Saturday. Seas there could build to 24 feet, with winds gusting to 60 mph.
Cape Cod Bay sees somewhat calmer water, with seas forecast at 7 to 12 feet. Winds could still gust to 55 mph there.
Boston Harbor and Narragansett Bay
Even the more sheltered harbors aren’t exempt. Boston Harbor and Narragansett Bay are under warning from 2 PM Friday to 8 PM Saturday, with north winds gusting to 50 mph.
Waves there stay smaller, around 3 feet, but the wind alone is enough to threaten smaller vessels. Forecasters are urging mariners to take the warning seriously regardless of location.
What Mariners and Coastal Residents Should Do
Stay in port through the weekend. Storm force winds and seas this high can capsize or seriously damage vessels of any size.
Secure boats, docks, and anything loose on the waterfront before Friday morning. Winds will build fast once the warning window opens.
On land, expect downed limbs and scattered power outages. Trees still carrying full leaf cover are especially vulnerable to strong gusts.
Coastal flooding and beach erosion are also likely as the storm moves through. Check the latest marine forecast at weather.gov/boston before heading out on the water.
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