768
FZUS52 KKEY 240818
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
418 AM EDT Fri Jul 24 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.

GMZ005-242030-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
418 AM EDT Fri Jul 24 2026

.SYNOPSIS...An easterly wave is currently moving through the
Florida Keys, bringing an enhanced coverage of showers and
thunderstorms this morning. Gentle to moderate breezes this
morning will ease to light to gentle by the afternoon and evening.
Behind this feature, a col will develop across the region by
Saturday, leading to a brief period of light and variable winds.
Thereafter, breezes will freshen to gentle breezes and back to the
west to northwest as a surface trough develops Sunday. Breezes
will return from the southwest and west as the trough moves east
of the Florida Peninsula early next week.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of July 17,
2026...

49 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
51 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
38 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
22 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
13 NM South of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
 6 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada.
 2 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.

$$

GMZ031-242030-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
418 AM EDT Fri Jul 24 2026

.TODAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a
light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly this
morning. Bay waters rough and winds higher in and around
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming smooth to a light
chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southwest to west near 5 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light
chop, becoming smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds near 5 knots. Bay
waters smooth. A chance of showers with a slight chance of
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west to
northwest near 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light chop,
becoming a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Bay waters
a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots. Bay waters
a light chop. Showers and thunderstorms likely.
.TUESDAY...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a
light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay
waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-242030-
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-
418 AM EDT Fri Jul 24 2026

.TODAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
West of the Marquesas Keys, seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to around
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms this morning, then a slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. Winds and seas higher in
and around thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers with a
slight chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
variable near 5 knots in the afternoon. Seas around 1 foot,
subsiding to 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light
chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 5 knots, becoming
southwest to west. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west to northwest
near 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less, building to around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light chop. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore
waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southwest to west. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth
to a light chop. Showers and thunderstorms likely.
.TUESDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ042>044-242030-
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-
418 AM EDT Fri Jul 24 2026

.TODAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots early, becoming east to
southeast near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to 1 to 2
feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop, becoming a light
chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly this morning.
Winds and seas higher in and around thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southwest to west near 5 knots in the afternoon. Seas around 1
foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming smooth. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Variable winds near 5 knots, becoming southwest
to west. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west to
northwest near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters
smooth to a light chop, becoming a light chop. A chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters 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 around 1 foot, building to 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,
becoming south to southwest. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a
light to moderate chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-242030-
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-
418 AM EDT Fri Jul 24 2026

.TODAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming east to southeast
near 10 knots. Seas 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet, subsiding
to 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: East 3 feet at 5 seconds and west 1
foot at 7 seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly
this morning. Winds and seas higher in and around thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet, subsiding to around 2 feet. Wave Detail: East 2 feet at 5
seconds and west 1 foot at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming northeast in
the afternoon. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast
2 feet at 4 seconds and west 1 foot at 7 seconds. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...North to northeast winds near 5 knots, becoming
south to southwest. Seas around 1 foot. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming becoming west
to northwest near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots, becoming
southwest to west 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west to
northwest near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southwest to west. Seas around 1 foot. 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. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots, becoming
south to southwest. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-242030-
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-
418 AM EDT Fri Jul 24 2026

.TODAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots this afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to 1 to 2
feet. Wave Detail: East 2 feet at 4 seconds and west to northwest
2 feet at 7 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms this morning, then a slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms this afternoon. Winds and seas higher in and around
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming east
to southeast near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail:
East 1 foot at 3 seconds and west 1 foot at 7 seconds. A chance of
showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west to
northwest near 5 knots in the afternoon. Seas around 1 foot. Wave
Detail: East to southeast 1 foot at 3 seconds and west 1 foot at
6 seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 5 knots, becoming
west to northwest. Seas around 1 foot. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
northwest near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southwest to west. Seas around 1 foot. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$