892
FZUS52 KKEY 092026
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
426 PM EDT Sun Aug 9 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.

GMZ005-100830-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
426 PM EDT Sun Aug 9 2026

.SYNOPSIS...Ridging will gradually build in across the region, and
will maintain gentle to moderate easterly to southeasterly breezes
on our waters. Marine caution headlines will be in place for Hawk
Channel and the Florida Straits due to a brief period of freshening
breezes overnight. However, winds will trend slightly downwards
heading towards mid week as the ridge settles southward across
Central Florida. Expect swings in wind speeds, generally lulling
during the day and peaking overnight. Shower and thunder chances
will be near to below normal through the forecast.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of
August 7, 2026...

25 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
15 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
19 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
29 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
16 NM Southeast of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
 4 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.

$$

GMZ031-100830-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
426 PM EDT Sun Aug 9 2026

.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming east to
southeast. Bay waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of
showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a
light to moderate chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to
moderate chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...East winds decreasing to near 10 knots. Bay waters
becoming a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10
knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming smooth to a light chop.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light
chop.
.FRIDAY...East 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 slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-100830-
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 EDT Sun Aug 9 2026

.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet, except 2 to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore
waters a moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance
of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East to southeast winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10
to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. West of the Marquesas Keys, seas 2
to 3 feet, subsiding to around 2 feet. Nearshore waters a
moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...East winds decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas subsiding
to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters becoming a light chop. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...East to 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.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10
knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light
chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters a light chop.
.FRIDAY...East winds near 10 knots, increasing to 10 to 15 knots.
Seas 1 foot or less, building to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters
a light chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. A chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds increasing to near 15 knots. Seas
building to 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters becoming a moderate
chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ042>044-100830-
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 EDT Sun Aug 9 2026

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FOR INCREASING WINDS...

.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots, increasing to 15
to 20 knots. Seas 1 to 3 feet, building to 2 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop, becoming
choppy. A chance of showers with a slight chance of
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East to southeast winds near 15 knots early, decreasing
to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate
chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to 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 slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore
waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light chop.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots.
Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a
light to moderate chop, becoming a moderate chop. A chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Nearshore waters a moderate chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-100830-
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 EDT Sun Aug 9 2026

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FOR INCREASING WINDS...

.TONIGHT...East winds near 15 knots, increasing to 15 to 20
knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, building to 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to
6 feet. Wave Detail: East 4 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of
showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 4 feet at
5 seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2
to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: East 4 feet at 5
seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near
10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A
slight chance of showers.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots.
Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-100830-
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 EDT Sun Aug 9 2026

.TONIGHT...Southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave
Detail: East 3 feet at 4 seconds. A chance of showers with a
slight chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...East to southeast winds near 15 knots early, decreasing
to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: East to
southeast 3 feet at 4 seconds. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave
Detail: East 2 feet at 4 seconds. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming east
and decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to 1
to 2 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to near 10 knots.
Seas around 1 foot, building to 1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds increasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1
to 2 feet, building to around 2 feet. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$