Chesapeake Bay
Weather and Tides

This page contains bay-wide weather and tides information, including NWS marine forecasts and links to real-time meteorological and tides information from data buoys located throughout the Chesapeake Bay.  For local weather and tides, please visit BayDreaming.com's destinations page where you can select from different Chesapeake Bay locations.

Weather Forecasts:

NWS forecasts for the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay:  Current conditions, forecasts, and warnings from the Baltimore/Washington Field Office of the National Weather Service.

NWS forecasts for the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay: Current conditions, forecasts, and warnings from the Wakefield regional office of the National Weather Service.  Easy to navigate, map-based user interface.

Marine Forecasts:

Coastal Waters Forecast:  A combined National Weather Service forecast for each of the Chesapeake Bay forecast zones.  Includes advisories.

Chesapeake Bay Marine Forecasts:  The National Weather Service's marine forecast for eight Chesapeake Bay regions.  The best source for up-to-date information on Chesapeake Bay weather conditions.  

Wind Forecasts:

Chesapeake Bay Wind Forecasts:  Check out this National Weather Service website that forecasts wind conditions in the Chesapeake Bay.  A great resource for sailors. 

Tide Predictions:

View Chesapeake Bay tide tables.  Select a region from the list below to choose your tide table location.   

• Maryland Tide Tables from Saltwater Tides

• Virginia Tide Tables from Saltwater Tides

• Maryland, Chesapeake Bay Tide Tables.

• NOAA Chesapeake Bay coastal tide prediction center (MD & VA Tides)

Chesapeake Bay Current Conditions:

Up to the minute conditions in the Chesapeake Bay, including tide height and direction, water temperature, salinity, wind speed and direction, and currents.  Provided by NOAA.

Northern Chesapeake Bay Current Conditions

Southern Chesapeake Bay Current Condition

Chesapeake Bay Water Temperature Maps:

Chesapeake Bay water temperatures vary from lows in mid 30's during the winter to highs in the mid 80's during the summer.  Water temperature affects fish populations in the Chesapeake Bay.  This is a good resource to use to gauge where certain species of fish might be found throughout the year. 

Chesapeake Bay Water Temperature Map.  Provided by NOAA.

Chesapeake Bay Marine Data from the National Data Buoy Center:

View current conditions from about 30 different data buoys located around the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries.  Information displayed includes wind direction, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, and dew point.  Select a data buoy from a map of Chesapeake Bay buoys.

Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System:

NOAA's Smart Buoys provide real-time weather and water observations and interpret locations along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.  There are three buoys in place at this time, they are located in the James River, at the mouth of the Potomac River, and in the Patpsco River, near Baltimore.  Information from these buoys is available online or by calling 1-877-Buoy-Bay. 

Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System Data Page.  View current information from each of the buoys.

Sea Nettle Distribution Predictions: 

Ouch!  Sea Nettle, or jellyfish, can ruin a day on the water.  NOAA has produced a map that predicts where sea nettles are likely to be found, based on current environmental conditions.  Sea Nettle Distribution Predictions Map.

Weather Calculators:

The Washington Post Weather Calculators page  These weather calculator help you convert weather factors such as Fahrenheit to Celsius, Knots to MPH, plus you can calculate wind chill and heat index.