The Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) has issued a High-Surf Advisory for the island’s western coastlines.
According to the BMS, choppy sea conditions are expected to develop along the west coast, with the roughest conditions forecast for Monday, August 25.
Swells generated by Hurricane Erin, currently in the far northern Atlantic, are predicted to reach heights between 2.0 and 2.5 metres.
Officials have warned that small craft operators and beachgoers should prepare for the possibility of waves frequently overtopping property and roads. Damage to some coastal homes and infrastructure is possible, while beach erosion is considered inevitable, with many beaches likely to be completely submerged, especially at high tide.
Marine users are advised to follow updates from the BMS, the Department of Emergency Management, and the Government Information Service. The public is also encouraged to choose beaches with on-duty lifeguards and to secure any objects on the beachfront that could be swept away by heavy wave action.
The BMS explained that a High-Surf Advisory is issued when breaking wave action poses, or is forecast to pose, a threat to life and property within the surf zone within 48 hours.
The advisory will be updated at 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 23, or sooner if conditions warrant.
