018
FZUS52 KKEY 200224
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
1024 PM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

Florida Bay, Hawk Channel and Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef
to south of Dry Tortugas, and the extreme southeastern Gulf of
America, 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.

The Wave Detail section highlights the period and direction of
origin for the highest-energy waves, as well as any long-period
swells moving in a different direction than the wind.

GMZ005-201430-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
1024 PM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
A ridge axis draped across the Florida Keys will maintain a
mostly variable wind pattern through the remainder of the week,
with generally light to gentle breezes. A broad swath of Saharan
air blanketing the area will maintain mainly rain-free conditions
through the end of the work week, but rain chances will slowly
increase over the weekend as moisture slowly recovers. As high
pressure builds in the North Atlantic, gentle east to southeast
breezes will be reestablished for early next week.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of August
13, 2026...

38 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
20 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
17 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
21 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
18 NM Southeast of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
 7 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada.
 7 NM Southeast of Molasses Reef Light...off Key Largo.
 2 NM Southeast of Carysfort Reef Light...off Ocean Reef.

Gulf Stream Information Courtesy of the National Weather Service in
Key West, using data from RTOFS and NASA SPoRT SST.

$$

GMZ031-201430-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
1024 PM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming southwest to
west. Bay waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to near 10
knots. Bay waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light chop.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop.
.FRIDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth.
.SATURDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Bay waters smooth. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay
waters smooth. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth
to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
near 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light
chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light
chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-201430-
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-
1024 PM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.OVERNIGHT....Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds near 5 knots, becoming southeast to
south. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
near 10 knots. Seas building to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters
smooth to a light chop, becoming a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ042>044-201430-
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-
1024 PM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.FRIDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1
foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a
light chop.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-201430-
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-
1024 PM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming variable.
Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: Northwest to north 1 foot at 3
seconds.
.THURSDAY...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Wave Detail: West 1 foot at 3 seconds.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds near 5 knots, becoming southeast to
south. Seas around 1 foot.
.FRIDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. A slight chance of showers.
.MONDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-201430-
Gulf of America from East Cape Sable to Chokoloskee 20 to 60 NM
out and beyond 5 fathoms-
Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel-
1024 PM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest to north winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. Wave Detail: Northwest 2 feet at 5 seconds. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Wave Detail: Northwest 1 foot at 5 seconds.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast to south. Seas around 1 foot. Wave Detail: East to
southeast 1 foot at 2 seconds and northwest to north 1 foot at 4
seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast. Seas 1 foot or less. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...South winds near 5 knots, becoming west in the
afternoon. Seas 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast to south. Seas 1 foot or less. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots, becoming north
to northeast. Seas 1 foot or less. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$