983
FZUS52 KKEY 162016
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
416 PM EDT Wed Sep 16 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.

GMZ005-170830-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
416 PM EDT Wed Sep 16 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
Gentle to moderate northeast to east breezes will prevail through
Thursday, as a ridge continues to build southward over the
eastern United States. Winds will then slacken and shift east to
southeast through the remainder of the week, as the high weakens
and slips into the western North Atlantic. A wet pattern will
persist across Keys coastal waters through Sunday, as an upper-
level low retrogrades westward towards the Florida Keys.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of September
11, 2026...

26 NM south of Dry Tortugas Light, on Loggerhead Key
15 NM south of Cosgrove Shoal Light, off the Marquesas Keys
15 NM south of Sand Key Light, off Key West
11 NM south-southeast of Looe Key, off Big Pine Key
 8 NM southeast of Sombrero Key Light, off Marathon
 6 NM southeast of Alligator Reef Light, off Islamorada
 2 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light, off Key Largo
 1 NM east-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.

$$

GMZ031-170830-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
416 PM EDT Wed Sep 16 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10
to 15 knots. Bay waters a moderate chop, becoming a light to
moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a
light chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots,
becoming east near 10 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop,
becoming a light chop. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots.
Bay waters a light chop, becoming smooth to a light chop. Showers
with a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a
light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay
waters smooth. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. Showers and thunderstorms likely.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-170830-
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-
416 PM EDT Wed Sep 16 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10
to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except 2 to 3 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a moderate chop, becoming a light
to moderate chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...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. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10
knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate
chop, becoming a light chop. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots.
Seas 1 to 2 feet, subsiding to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a
light chop, becoming smooth, to a light chop. Showers likely with
a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Showers likely with
chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. Showers and thunderstorms likely.
.SUNDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas 1
foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ042>044-170830-
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-
416 PM EDT Wed Sep 16 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10
to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop,
becoming a light to moderate chop. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming east to
southeast 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. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore
waters smooth to a light chop. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance
of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-170830-
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-
416 PM EDT Wed Sep 16 2026

.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots, decreasing to
10 to 15 knots. Seas 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave
Detail: Northeast to east 4 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas subsiding to 2 to 3
feet. Wave Detail: East 3 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10
knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 3 feet at
5 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 2 feet. A chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas around
2 feet. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming southeast to
south. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-170830-
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-
416 PM EDT Wed Sep 16 2026

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

.TONIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to 15
to 20 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, building to 2 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 3 feet at
5 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to
near 10 knots. Seas subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail:
Northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Wave Detail: Northeast to east 2 feet at 5 seconds. Showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots.
Seas around 2 feet, subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. Showers likely with
a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, subsiding
to around 1 foot. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. A chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

$$

BT/11