Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Key West, FL

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409
FZUS52 KKEY 161427
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
1027 AM EDT Thu Oct 16 2025

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.

Wave Detail will include details about the period and direction
of origin for the highest energy waves. Long-period swells coming
from a different direction than the wind would be included in the
Wave Detail.

GMZ005-170230-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
1027 AM EDT Thu Oct 16 2025

.SYNOPSIS...High pressure sinking south over the eastern CONUS
will keep shower coverage low through Friday. Gentle to moderate
northeasterly breezes will freshen to moderate to fresh as the
pressure gradient tightens on Friday. A Small Craft Advisory may
be required sometime over the weekend, depending on the strength
of the high pressure system. Shower coverage may increase Friday
night because of a southward moving convergence boundary.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of October
15...

63 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
42 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
33 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
23 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
16 NM Southeast of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
22 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada.
20 NM Southeast of Molasses Reef Light...off Key Largo.
18 NM Southeast of Carysfort Reef Light...off Ocean Reef.

Gulf Stream Information Courtesy of the National Weather Service in
Key West based on products from NASA SPoRT.

$$

GMZ031-170230-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
1027 AM EDT Thu Oct 16 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...North to northeast winds near 15 knots early,
becoming northeast to east near 10 knots. Bay waters a moderate
chop, becoming a light chop. Isolated showers.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to
moderate chop. Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds near 15 knots, increasing to 15
to 20 knots. Bay waters a moderate chop, becoming choppy.
Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20
knots. Bay waters choppy. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots,
decreasing to near 15 knots. Bay waters choppy, becoming a moderate
chop. Isolated showers.
.SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a
light to moderate chop. Scattered showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to
moderate chop. Isolated showers.

$$

GMZ032-035-170230-
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-
1027 AM EDT Thu Oct 16 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...North to northeast winds near 15 knots early,
becoming northeast near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except around
2 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a moderate
chop, becoming a light chop. Isolated showers.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except
around 2 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a
light to moderate chop. Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds near 15 knots, increasing to 15
to 20 knots. Seas 1 to 3 feet, except around 3 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a moderate chop, becoming
choppy. Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20
knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5
feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters choppy. Isolated
showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet, except 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters choppy. Isolated showers.
.SUNDAY...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except
2 to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a
moderate chop. Scattered showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
except 2 to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a
moderate chop. Scattered showers.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
except 2 to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore
waters a light to moderate chop. Scattered showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
except 2 to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a
moderate chop. Isolated showers.

$$

GMZ042>044-170230-
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-
1027 AM EDT Thu Oct 16 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...North to northeast winds near 15 knots,
becoming northeast 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 3 feet. Nearshore
waters a moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop.
Isolated showers.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2, building
to around 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
Scattered showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds near 15 knots, increasing to 15
to 20 knots. Seas building to 2 to 4 feet. Nearshore waters a
moderate chop, becoming choppy. Scattered showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20
knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters
choppy. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2
to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters choppy.
Scattered showers.
.SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3
feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop. Scattered showers.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore
waters a light to moderate chop. Scattered showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Nearshore waters a moderate chop. Isolated showers.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-170230-
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-
1027 AM EDT Thu Oct 16 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...North to northeast winds near 15 knots,
becoming northeast 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail:
Northeast 3 feet at 5 seconds. Isolated showers.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15
knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail:
Northeast 3 feet at 5 seconds. Scattered showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to
5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east
5 feet at 6 seconds. Scattered showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20
knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet, occasionally to 8 feet. Scattered
showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet,
occasionally to 8 feet. Scattered showers.
.SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to 5
feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Scattered showers.
.MONDAY...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet,
occasionally to 6 feet. Scattered showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet,
occasionally to 6 feet. Scattered showers.

$$

GMZ033-034-170230-
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-
1027 AM EDT Thu Oct 16 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northeast winds near 15 knots early, decreasing
to near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast 2 feet
at 4 seconds. Isolated showers.
.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to
near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast 3 feet at
4 seconds. Scattered showers.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to
4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east
3 feet at 4 seconds. Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20
knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet,
occasionally to 6 feet. Isolated showers.
.SUNDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Scattered
showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Scattered showers.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Scattered
showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Isolated showers.

$$