High winds and tidal surge expected Saturday

Published 3:54 pm Friday, March 28, 2008

Islanders should prepare for high winds, waves and tidal surge beginning Friday evening and peaking early Saturday morning, according to a release from the city’s Shoreline Stewardship Program.

Winds from the south of 25-35 knots, with possible gusts of 40 knots, are predicted between 2:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning, as well as waves of 4-6 feet.

A tidal surge of 1.4 feet above the predicted tide level is also likely, meaning the high of 11.3 feet at 4:45 a.m. Saturday would effectively become a 12.7 foot tide.

The Shoreline Stewardship Program release cautions that Saturday morning’s mix of wind, waves and tides will be similar to conditions of Feb. 4, 2006 when a storm caused moderate but widespread coastal erosion.