


Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Key West, FL
Issued by NWS Key West, FL
635 FZUS52 KKEY 180831 CWFKEY Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys National Weather Service Key West FL 431 AM EDT Mon Aug 18 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. GMZ005-182045- Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas 431 AM EDT Mon Aug 18 2025 .SYNOPSIS...A broad ridge stretching from the North Atlantic westward across the Florida Peninsula will result in light to gentle easterly breezes across the Keys coastal waters through early this week. As Hurricane Erin approaches and passes by The Bahamas and away from the Keys, breezes will veer to the north and freshen before gradually backing to the south by the end of the week. The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of August 14... 45 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key. 34 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys. 41 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West. 24 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key. 18 NM Southeast of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon. 9 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada. 5 NM Southeast of Molasses Reef Light...off Key Largo. 3 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. $$ GMZ031-182045- Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound- 431 AM EDT Mon Aug 18 2025 .TODAY...East winds near 5 knots, becoming northwest. Bay waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming smooth to a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...West winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...Southwest winds near 5 knots. Bay waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds near 5 knots, becoming east to southeast. Bay waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. $$ GMZ032-035-182045- 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- 431 AM EDT Mon Aug 18 2025 .TODAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots, becoming northwest. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to near 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less, building to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. $$ GMZ042>044-182045- Hawk Channel from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out to the reef- Hawk Channel from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out to the reef- Hawk Channel from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to Halfmoon Shoal out to the reef- 431 AM EDT Mon Aug 18 2025 .TODAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots, becoming northwest. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to near 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less, building to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...West winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. $$ GMZ052>055-072>075-182045- 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- 431 AM EDT Mon Aug 18 2025 .TODAY...East winds near 5 knots, becoming northwest. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 1 foot at 3 seconds. Isolated showers and thunderstorms. .TONIGHT...Northwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast 1 foot at 4 seconds. Isolated showers and thunderstorms. .TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: Northwest 1 foot at 2 seconds and northeast 1 foot at 5 seconds. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...West winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except 2 to 3 feet in the eastern Straits of Florida due to northeast swell. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. $$ GMZ033-034-182045- Gulf of America from East Cape Sable to Chokoloskee 20 to 60 NM out and beyond 5 fathoms- Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel- 431 AM EDT Mon Aug 18 2025 .TODAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots, becoming northwest. Seas 1 foot or less. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY...Northwest to north winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Wave Detail: Northwest to north 1 foot at 3 seconds. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...West to northwest winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. $$