085
FZUS52 KKEY 190910
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 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.

GMZ005-192115-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
A ridge axis draped across the Florida Keys will maintain a
mostly variable wind pattern through the remainder of the week
with wind speeds mainly less than 10 knots. However, brief surges
in wind speeds are possible in the evening hours with breezes
occasionally approaching 15 to 20 knots near the Upper Keys.
Exercise cautionary conditions may be periodically required for
waters adjacent to the Upper Keys. A broad swath of Saharan air
blanketing the area will maintain rain-free conditions today, but
rain chances will slowly increase into late week as moisture
slowly recovers. By the weekend, a light and variable flow pattern
should persist on Saturday before winds gradually increase and
become more southeasterly by late weekend and into next week.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of August
13, 2026...

38 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
20 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
17 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
21 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
18 NM Southeast of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
 7 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada.
 7 NM Southeast of Molasses Reef Light...off Key Largo.
 2 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.

$$

GMZ031-192115-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming west. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots, becoming around
5 knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming smooth. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a
light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop.
.FRIDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth.
.SATURDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Bay waters smooth. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay
waters smooth. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth
to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-192115-
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-
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds near 10 knots, becoming around 5 knots.
Seas around 1 foot, becoming 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters a
light chop, becoming smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Southwest to west winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds near 5 knots, becoming southeast to
south. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...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.

$$

GMZ042-192115-
Hawk Channel from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out to the reef-
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds near 10 knots, becoming southwest to
west. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop, becoming
smooth to a light chop.
.TONIGHT...West to northwest winds near 10 knots, becoming west.
Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.FRIDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1
foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ043-044-192115-
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-
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.TODAY...Northwest to north winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...West winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast to south. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth, becoming
smooth to a light chop.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds near 5 knots, becoming light and
variable. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1
foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of
showers.
.SUNDAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052-072-192115-
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM-
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key 20 to 60 NM out-
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.TODAY...West to northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Wave Detail: Northwest 1 foot at 3 seconds.
.TONIGHT...Southwest to west winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. Wave Detail: West 1 foot at 2 seconds.
.THURSDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1
feet. Wave Detail: West 1 foot at 3 seconds.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds near 5 knots, becoming southeast to
south. Seas around 1 foot.
.FRIDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. A slight chance of showers.

$$

GMZ053>055-073>075-192115-
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 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-
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.TODAY...North winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Wave
Detail: North 1 foot at 3 seconds.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Wave Detail: Northwest to north 1 foot at 3 seconds.
.THURSDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots, becoming
northwest in the afternoon. Seas around 1 foot. Wave Detail: Northwest
to north 1 foot at 5 seconds.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southeast. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
east to southeast. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...East winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-192115-
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-
510 AM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026

.TODAY...Northwest to north winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Wave Detail: Northwest to north 1 foot at 4 seconds.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds near 10 knots, becoming northwest to
north. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: Northwest 2 feet at 5
seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Wave Detail: Northwest 1 foot at 5 seconds.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast to south. Seas around 1 foot. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast. Seas 1 foot or less. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...South winds near 5 knots, becoming west in the
afternoon. Seas 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast to south. Seas 1 foot or less. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots, becoming north
to northeast. Seas 1 foot or less. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$