Special Marine Warning Issued for Tidal Potomac Areas

Source: NOAA · Tidal Potomac, Maryland and Virginia

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NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC has issued a Special Marine Warning for the Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD and from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA until 2:00 AM EDT.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Special Marine Warning
Affected area
Tidal Potomac, Maryland and Virginia
Issued
September 4, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

Marine notices apply to named waters or shoreline zones. They may not describe conditions on land, even when the nearest place name is the same.

Record status: publication date is recent, but current status is not stored on this page. Check the issuing agency's live warning service before acting because warnings can be updated, narrowed, or cancelled.

Alert Details

Special Marine Warning issued by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC. Effective from September 4, 2026 at 12:55 AM EDT until September 4, 2026 at 2:00 AM EDT. Alert type code: MA.W.

Affected Areas

Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD; Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA. Locations impacted include Yeocomico River, Breton Bay, Saint Clements Bay, Piney Point, Mouth Of The Potomac River, Maryland Point, Nanjemoy Creek, Port Tobacco River, Colonial Beach, Cobb Island, Point Lookout, Tall Timbers, Swan Point, Coltons Point, Mathias Point, U.S. 301 Nice Memorial Bridge, Saint George Island, Wicomico River, White Point Beach, and Popes Creek.

What You Should Do

Move to safe harbor until hazardous weather passes. Boaters in small craft should avoid the area as they could be thrown overboard by suddenly higher winds and waves capsizing their vessel.

Expected Conditions

Multiple areas of strong thunderstorms located along a line extending from Cuckold Creek to 8 nm south of Fairview Beach, moving southeast at 45 knots. Hazard: Wind gusts 34 knots or greater. Source: Radar indicated.

Timeline

Alert effective September 4, 2026 at 12:55 AM EDT. Expires and ends September 4, 2026 at 2:00 AM EDT.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this NWS weather alert: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC has issued a Special Marine Warning for the Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD and from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA until 2:00 AM EDT.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Tidal Potomac, Maryland and Virginia. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.