Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Key West, FL

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399
FZUS52 KKEY 011420
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
1020 AM EDT Thu Oct 1 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.

GMZ005-020230-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
1020 AM EDT Thu Oct 1 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
High pressure offshore of the Eastern Seaboard will merge with an
existing region of high pressure across the subtropical Atlantic,
and subsequently build through the end of the week. Moderate to
fresh breezes are expected to continue across the Florida Keys
waters through tonight. Widespread Small Craft Should Exercise
Caution headlines will be necessary through at least this evening
while a Small Craft Advisory is in effect for the southeastern
Gulf and Straits of Florida. In addition, a very wet pattern will
remain across the Keys over the next couple days, resulting in
periods of scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of
September 25, 2026...

43 NM south of Dry Tortugas Light, on Loggerhead Key
20 NM south of Cosgrove Shoal Light, off the Marquesas Keys
14 NM south of Sand Key Light, off Key West
 7 NM south-southeast of Looe Key, off Big Pine Key
 4 NM south-southeast of Sombrero Key Light, off Marathon
 4 NM south-southeast of Alligator Reef Light, off Islamorada
 0 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light, off Key Largo
 1 NM west-northwest of Carysfort Reef Light, off Ocean Reef

Gulf Stream Information Courtesy of the Naval Oceanographic Office.

$$

GMZ031-020230-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
1020 AM EDT Thu Oct 1 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds near 15 knots. Bay waters a moderate
chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Bay waters a
moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a
light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to
moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to
moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light
to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a
light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a
light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a
light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-020230-
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-
1020 AM EDT Thu Oct 1 2026

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet,
except 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet west of the Marquesas
Keys. Nearshore waters choppy. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet, except around 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters choppy. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East to southeast 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. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
except 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet west of the Marquesas
Keys. Nearshore waters a moderate chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except
3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters a moderate chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except
3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East to southeast 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. A chance of thunderstorms with a
slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot
or less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ042>044-020230-
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-
1020 AM EDT Thu Oct 1 2026

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...

.THIS AFTERNOON...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3
to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Nearshore waters choppy.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to
5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Nearshore waters choppy. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to
5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Nearshore waters choppy. A chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to
4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Nearshore waters a moderate chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas around
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of
thunderstorms with a slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-020230-
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-
1020 AM EDT Thu Oct 1 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...East to southeast winds near 20 knots. Seas 5
to 6 feet, occasionally to 8 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast
6 feet at 6 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 5 to
6 feet, occasionally to 8 feet. Wave Detail: East 5 feet at
6 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 4 to
6 feet, occasionally to 8 feet. Wave Detail: East 5 feet at
6 seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots, decreasing
to near 15 knots. Seas 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to 4
feet, occasionally to 5 feet. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas 3
to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. A chance of thunderstorms with a
slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas
around 2 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds near 10 knots, becoming east to
southeast. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-020230-
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-
1020 AM EDT Thu Oct 1 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3
to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast
5 feet at 5 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to
5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast
5 feet at 5 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to
5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast
5 feet at 5 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to
4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 3 to
4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas
2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot
or less. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$