987
FZUS52 KKEY 261439
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
1039 AM EDT Sun Jul 26 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.

GMZ005-270245-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
1039 AM EDT Sun Jul 26 2026

.SYNOPSIS...Surface troughing will continue to dig across the area
today, causing light and variable breezes to back to the northwest
and becoming gentle to modestly moderate. Pop up showers and
thunderstorms will crawl across the local waters. Seas will be
higher and waters will be rougher in, and near, showers and
thunderstorms. Breezes will return from the southwest and west as
the trough moves east of the Florida Peninsula early this week.
There is growing confidence of a return to an active weather
pattern starting tonight.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of
July 26, 2026...

40 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
49 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
44 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
28 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
 4 NM South of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
 3 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada.
 1 NM Southeast of Molasses Reef Light...off Key Largo.
 1 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.

$$

GMZ031-270245-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
1039 AM EDT Sun Jul 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Variable winds near 5 knots early, becoming
west and increasing to 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth, becoming
smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light
chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light
chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds near 10 knots, becoming southwest to
west and decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop,
becoming smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots, increasing to 10
to 15 knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming a light to
moderate chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay
waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a
slight chance of thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a
light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance
of thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay
waters a light to moderate chop.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light
chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop.

$$

GMZ032-035-270245-
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-
1039 AM EDT Sun Jul 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Variable winds near 5 knots early, becoming
west to northwest and increasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth, becoming smooth to a light chop. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. Showers likely with a chance
of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west in
the afternoon. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a
light chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10
knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop, becoming
smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west 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.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest to west 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.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds near 5 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.

$$

GMZ042>044-270245-
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-
1039 AM EDT Sun Jul 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...South to southwest winds near 5 knots early,
becoming west to northwest and increasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth, becoming smooth to a light
chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots, becoming
southwest to west and decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Nearshore waters a light chop, becoming smooth to a light
chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots, increasing to
10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop,
becoming a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming south to
southwest after midnight. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters
smooth to a light chop, becoming smooth.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-270245-
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-
1039 AM EDT Sun Jul 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Variable winds near 5 knots early, becoming
west to northwest and increasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Wave Detail:
East 1 foot at 3 seconds. A chance of thunderstorms with a slight
chance of showers.
.TONIGHT...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. Wave Detail: Northwest 1 foot at 2 seconds and east
1 foot at 3 seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Wave Detail: West to northwest 1 foot at 2 seconds. A chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southwest to west. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to 10
to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 1 to 3 feet. A chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
2 to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming southwest
to west and decreasing to near 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas 1
to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming southwest
after midnight. Seas around 1 foot.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...North winds near 5 knots, becoming southeast to
south around 5 knots after midnight. Seas around 1 foot.

$$

GMZ033-034-270245-
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-
1039 AM EDT Sun Jul 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...West to northwest winds near 5 knots, becoming
northwest and increasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Wave Detail:
Northwest 1 foot at 2 seconds and west 1 foot at 6 seconds. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Wave Detail: Northwest 1 foot at 3 seconds. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Wave Detail: Northwest 2 feet at 4 seconds. A chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots. Seas around
2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
around 2 feet. A chance of showers with a slight chance of
thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas around
2 feet. A chance of showers with a slight chance of
thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 2 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming southwest
after midnight. Seas 1 to 2 feet.

$$