Special Marine Warning Issued for Waters Near High Island and Freeport Through Sunday Afternoon
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for waters from High Island to Freeport, TX, citing potential waterspouts and wind gusts exceeding 34 knots.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- Texas Gulf Coast
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Houston Galveston
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: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Texas Gulf Coast.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston TX has issued a Special Marine Warning for the offshore waters of the Texas coast. The alert was issued after radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the waters from High Island to Freeport, TX, extending from 20 to 60 nautical miles offshore. Specific locations impacted include Galveston A8.
What You Should Do
Mariners are advised to seek safe harbor immediately. Thunderstorms can produce sudden waterspouts that can easily overturn boats and create locally hazardous seas. Small craft could be damaged in briefly higher winds and suddenly higher waves. Because frequent lightning is occurring with this storm, those caught on open water should stay below deck if possible and keep away from ungrounded metal objects.
Expected Conditions
As of 1:07 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Galveston A8 and was nearly stationary. The primary hazards include:
- Waterspouts
- Wind gusts of 34 knots or greater
- Locally hazardous seas and suddenly higher waves
Timeline
The alert is effective immediately as of 1:08 PM CDT on March 8. The warning is currently set to expire at 2:15 PM CDT.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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