Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Key West, FL

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FZUS52 KKEY 182042
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
442 PM EDT Mon Mar 18 2024

Florida Bay, Hawk Channel and Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef
to south of Dry Tortugas, and the extreme southeastern Gulf of
Mexico, including The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Seas are given as significant wave height, which is the average
height of the highest 1/3 of the waves. Individual waves may be
more than twice the significant wave height.

GMZ005-190245-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
442 PM EDT Mon Mar 18 2024

.SYNOPSIS...Northerly breezes will freshen tonight as a cold
front pushes through the coastal waters of the Florida Keys,
bringing some shower activity at times. Breezes will turn
easterly and diminish Tuesday through Wednesday. Unsettled
weather at the end of the week will result in fresh to strong
breezes Thursday night and Friday, followed by breezes shifting
quickly to the southwest then northwest at the tail-end of the
unsettled weather.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream is currently
unavailable.

$$

GMZ031-190245-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
442 PM EDT Mon Mar 18 2024

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds near 10 knots, becoming northwest to
north near 15 knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming a moderate
chop. Scattered showers.
.TUESDAY...North to northeast winds 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to 10
to 15 knots. Bay waters choppy, becoming a light to moderate
chop. Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10
knots. Bay waters a light chop.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light
chop.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots.
Bay waters a light to moderate chop, becoming a moderate chop.
Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming
southeast and increasing to near 20 knots after midnight. Bay
waters choppy, becoming rough. Scattered showers.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds 20 to 25 knots, becoming south near
20 knots in the afternoon. Bay waters very rough, becoming
rough. Numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 15 to 20 knots,
decreasing to near 15 knots. Bay waters choppy, becoming a
moderate chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...West to northwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
northwest near 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay waters a light to
moderate chop, becoming a light chop. Scattered showers and
isolated thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light
to moderate chop. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-190245-
Bayside and Gulf side from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile
Bridge-
Gulf of Mexico from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to Halfmoon
Shoal out to 5 Fathoms-
442 PM EDT Mon Mar 18 2024

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FOR INCREASING WINDS...

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds near 10 knots, becoming northwest to
north 15 to 20 knots late. Seas around 1 foot, building to 2 to 3
feet. Nearshore waters a light chop, becoming choppy. Scattered
showers.
.TUESDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming north to
northeast 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 4 feet,
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming a
light to moderate chop. Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1
to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light chop.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots.
Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 1 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a
light to moderate chop, becoming a moderate chop. Isolated
showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots,
becoming southeast 20 to 25 knots after midnight. Seas 2 to
3 feet, except 3 to 5 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore
waters choppy, becoming very rough. Scattered showers.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds near 20 knots, decreasing to 15 to 20
knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 3 to 5 feet west
of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters rough, becoming choppy.
Numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds near 15 knots, becoming
west after midnight. Seas 1 to 3 feet, except 3 to 4 feet west of
the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a moderate chop. Scattered
showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...West to northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 3
feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. Scattered
showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...North winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Nearshore waters a moderate chop. Isolated showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ042>044-190245-
Hawk Channel from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out to the reef-
Hawk Channel from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out
to the reef-
Hawk Channel from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to Halfmoon Shoal
out to the reef-
442 PM EDT Mon Mar 18 2024

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FOR INCREASING WINDS...

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming northwest to
north 15 to 20 knots late. Seas 1 to 3 feet, building to 2 to 3
feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop, becoming choppy.
Scattered showers.
.TUESDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming north to
northeast 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Nearshore waters choppy, becoming a light to moderate chop.
Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 3
feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light chop.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots.
Seas 1 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop,
becoming a moderate chop. Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots,
becoming southeast 20 to 25 knots after midnight. Seas 2 to
4 feet, building to 4 to 6 feet. Nearshore waters choppy,
becoming very rough. Scattered showers.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds near 20 knots, decreasing to 15 to 20 knots
in the afternoon. Seas 4 to 5 feet, subsiding to 2 to 4 feet.
Nearshore waters rough, becoming choppy. Numerous showers and
isolated thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds near 15 knots, becoming
west. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop.
Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 3 feet.
Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. Scattered showers and
isolated thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 15 knots. Seas 2
to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop. Isolated showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-190245-
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM-
Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile
Bridge out 20 NM-
Straits of Florida from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to south of
Halfmoon Shoal out 20 NM-
Straits of Florida from Halfmoon Shoal to 20 NM west of Dry
Tortugas out 20 NM-
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key 20 to 60 NM out-
Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile
Bridge 20 to 60 NM out-
Straits of Florida from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to south of
Halfmoon Shoal 20 to 60 NM out-
Straits of Florida from Halfmoon Shoal to 20 NM west of Dry
Tortugas 20 to 60 NM out-
442 PM EDT Mon Mar 18 2024

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds near 10 knots, becoming northwest to
north and increasing to near 15 knots after midnight. Seas 1 to 2
feet, building to 2 to 4 feet. Scattered showers.
.TUESDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming north to northeast
10 to 15 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet, subsiding to 2 to 4 feet.
Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to
5 to 10 knots after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3
feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots.
Seas 2 to 3 feet, building to 3 to 4 feet. Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots,
becoming southeast 20 to 25 knots after midnight. Seas 3 to
5 feet, building to 5 to 7 feet after midnight. Scattered
showers.
.FRIDAY...Southeast to south winds near 20 knots, becoming south
and decreasing to 15 to 20 knots in the afternoon. Seas 4 to 7
feet. Numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds near 15 knots, becoming south to
southwest and decreasing to 10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas 3
to 5 feet. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming west
to northwest. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Scattered showers and isolated
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 3
to 5 feet. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-190245-
Gulf waters from East Cape Sable to Chokoloskee 20 to 60 NM out
and beyond 5 fathoms-
Gulf of Mexico including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel-
442 PM EDT Mon Mar 18 2024

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FOR INCREASING WINDS...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots, becoming
northwest to north 15 to 20 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to
3 to 5 feet after midnight. Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming north to
northeast and decreasing to near 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 4
to 6 feet, subsiding to 4 to 5 feet. Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...North to northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 3
to 5 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3
feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 3 feet.
Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to
near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, building to 2 to 4 feet.
Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots,
increasing to southeast 20 to 25 knots after midnight. Seas 3 to
5 feet, building to 4 to 6 feet after midnight. Scattered
showers.
.FRIDAY...Southeast to south winds 20 to 25 knots, becoming south
and decreasing to near 20 knots. Seas 5 to 7 feet. Numerous
showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming
west and decreasing to near 15 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet, subsiding
to 3 to 5 feet. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...West to northwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming north.
Seas 3 to 4 feet. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...North winds near 15 knots. Seas 4 to 5 feet.
Isolated showers and thunderstorms.

$$

DP


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