816
FZUS52 KKEY 281911
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
311 PM EDT Wed Oct 28 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.

GMZ005-290715-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
311 PM EDT Wed Oct 28 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
A broad high pressure system located off the New England coastline
shifted east into the Atlantic. This allowed breezes to slacken
to gentle to moderate easterlies. While the upper level ridge
remains weakened though the rest of the week, breezes are on track
to slacken further to light to gentle by the weekend for portions
of the Florida Keys waters. Waves in the western waters will stay
elevated early this evening, but are expected to subside to more
typical values by tomorrow. The easternmost waters of Hawk Channel
and the Florida Straits may observe some elevated swell over the
weekend.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of October 27, 2026...

19 NM south of Dry Tortugas Light, on Loggerhead Key
34 NM south of Cosgrove Shoal Light, off the Marquesas Keys
28 NM south of Sand Key Light, off Key West
38 NM south of Looe Key, off Big Pine Key
31 NM southeast of Sombrero Key Light, off Marathon
17 NM south-southeast of Alligator Reef Light, off Islamorada
10 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light, off Key Largo
10 NM northwest 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.

$$

GMZ031-290715-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
311 PM EDT Wed Oct 28 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light
chop. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Bay waters
a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light
chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a
light chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay
waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a
slight chance of thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
east 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop, becoming
smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance
of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance
of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth
to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-290715-
Bayside and Gulfside from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile
Bridge-
Gulf of America from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to Halfmoon
Shoal out to 5 Fathoms-
311 PM EDT Wed Oct 28 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet,
except 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet west of the Marquesas
Keys. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
except 2 to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance
of showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore
waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance
of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas subsiding to 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance
of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of
showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ042>044-290715-
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-
311 PM EDT Wed Oct 28 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
except 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal
Light. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
except 2 to 3 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance
of showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance
of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore
waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of
showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-290715-
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-
311 PM EDT Wed Oct 28 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet, subsiding
to 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: North to
northeast 3 feet at 6 seconds. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas subsiding to 2 to
3 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast 2 feet at 5 seconds. A slight
chance of showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast 2 feet at 5 seconds. A slight
chance of showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East winds near 10 knots. Seas subsiding to 1 to 2
feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming 5 to 10 knots. Seas
2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A
chance of thunderstorms. A chance of showers.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. A slight chance of thunderstorms. A slight chance of
showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet, then 1 foot or less. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-290715-
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-
311 PM EDT Wed Oct 28 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: North to northeast 4 feet at
3 seconds and north 3 feet at 6 seconds. A chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10
knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail:
North 3 feet at 6 seconds. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3
feet. Wave Detail: North 2 feet at 5 seconds. A slight chance of
showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to
5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots, increasing
to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers with a slight chance of
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. A slight chance of thunderstorms. A slight chance of
showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. A slight chance of showers.

$$