The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS) has issued a yellow level Hazardous Seas Alert which came into effect yesterday, Monday, at 8 pm and will extend until next Monday, February 17 until 6 pm.
The TTMS explained, “This is due to relatively strong winds that are agitating the sea surface, leading to large waves and potentially dangerous sea conditions.”
The alert is in effect for northern and eastern exposed coastal areas of Trinidad and Tobago, including offshore areas. With a full moon expected this Wednesday, spring tides (higher than normal high tides) are currently in effect which may exacerbate conditions along the exposed coastlines at high tide times.
The TTMS advised all marine interests to exercise extreme caution and for beachgoers to heed the instructions of lifeguards and those in authority.
This is the fourth Hazardous Seas Alert for 2025, with the first two being issued for long-period swells and the third, for wind-driven rough seas. Winter storms traversing the North Atlantic Ocean tend to result in the southward migration of the Atlantic Sub-tropical High-pressure system. This creates a stronger pressure gradient over the Caribbean which leads to stronger surface and low-level winds. This, in turn, can deteriorate sea conditions, especially when there’s a large fetch (area of ocean over which the wind blows). This phenomenon can be expected intermittently across our local dry season, which overlaps with the Northern Hemisphere winter.
