453
FZUS52 KKEY 202126
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
426 PM EST Thu Nov 20 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.

GMZ005-210930-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
426 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025

.SYNOPSIS...A high pressure system stretching from the western
Atlantic to the Florida panhandle will consolidate along the
Atlantic Coast over the next couple of days, leading to a brief
strengthening of northeast to easterly breezes overnight. This
high will lengthen out into the Atlantic through the remainder of
the week and result in slight slackening to light to gentle by the
weekend. Expect slightly fresher breezes south of the island
chain. Breezes will gradually freshen early next week as the ridge
is reinforced by a continental advancing into the eastern United
States.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of November 14...

54 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
23 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
19 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
17 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
15 NM Southeast of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
 4 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 based on products from NASA SPoRT.

$$

GMZ031-210930-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
426 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025

.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots, increasing to
10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming a light to
moderate chop.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a
light chop.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing
to near 10 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop, becoming a
light chop.
.SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a
light chop.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a
light chop.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a
light chop.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Bay waters
a light chop.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light
chop.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a
light to moderate chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to
moderate chop.

$$

GMZ032-035-210930-
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-
426 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025

.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots early, increasing
to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light
chop, becoming a light to moderate chop.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots. Seas subsiding to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a
light chop, becoming smooth to a light chop.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas subsiding to 1
foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop.
.MONDAY...East winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore
waters a light chop.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot,
except building to 1 to 2 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters a light chop.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except
building to 2 to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore
waters a light to moderate chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...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.

$$

GMZ042>044-210930-
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-
426 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025

.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore
waters a light to moderate chop.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet, subsiding to around 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to
moderate chop.
.SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds decreasing to near 10 knots.
Seas subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters becoming a light
chop.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas building to around
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet.
Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-210930-
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-
426 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025

.TONIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 4 feet at
5 seconds.
.FRIDAY...East winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots.
Seas 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast
to east 3 feet at 5 seconds.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east
3 feet at 5 seconds.
.SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
2 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds increasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas building
to 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet,
occasionally to 6 feet.

$$

GMZ033-034-210930-
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-
426 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025

.TONIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building
to 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: East 2 feet at 3 seconds.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave
Detail: East 2 feet at 3 seconds.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 3 feet. Wave
Detail: East 2 feet at 3 seconds.
.SATURDAY...Northeast to east winds decreasing to near 10 knots.
Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas subsiding to
around 1 foot.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas building to 1 to 2
feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds increasing to near 10 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds increasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2
to 4 feet.

$$