Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Key West, FL

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FZUS52 KKEY 250817
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 25 2024

Florida Bay, Hawk Channel and Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef
to south of Dry Tortugas, and the extreme southeastern Gulf of
Mexico, 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.

GMZ005-251500-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 25 2024

.SYNOPSIS...High pressure located along the Eastern Seaboard has
become wedged between a low across the Atlantic and a low over the
Central Plains. This has led to a surge in easterly winds with
fresh breezes overtaking the Florida Keys coastal waters this
morning. Fresh breezes will persist through Tuesday before
gradually slackening as the pressure gradient relaxes. This will
be brief as breezes will freshen from the northwest on Thursday
due a strong late season cold front. Expect a period of fresh to
strong breezes Thursday afternoon through the overnight and slowly
slackening through Saturday.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream is currently
unavailable.

$$

GMZ031-251500-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 25 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT...

.TODAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots, increasing to near 20 knots.
Bay waters choppy, becoming rough. Isolated showers.
.TONIGHT...East winds near 20 knots. Bay waters rough.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to
near 15 knots in the afternoon. Bay waters choppy, becoming a
moderate chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay
waters a light to moderate chop.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light
to moderate chop.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay
waters a light to moderate chop.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming west near
20 knots in the afternoon. Bay waters a light to moderate chop,
becoming rough. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds 20 to 25 knots. Bay
waters very rough.
.FRIDAY...North to northeast winds near 20 knots, decreasing to
15 to 20 knots. Bay waters rough, becoming choppy.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to near
15 knots. Bay waters choppy, becoming a moderate chop.

$$

GMZ032-035-251500-
Bayside and Gulf side from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile
Bridge-
Gulf of Mexico from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to Halfmoon
Shoal out to 5 Fathoms-
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 25 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT...

.TODAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots, increasing to near 20 knots.
Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 3 to 4 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters choppy, becoming rough. Isolated showers.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 20 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet, except 4 to 5 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore
waters rough.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to near 15
knots late. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 3 to 5 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming a moderate chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...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.
.WEDNESDAY...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.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. Isolated
showers.
.THURSDAY...South to southwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
west 20 to 25 knots in the afternoon. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building
to 2 to 4 feet in the afternoon, except building to 4 to 5 feet
west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a light to moderate
chop, becoming very rough. Scattered showers and isolated
thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas
3 to 6 feet, except 6 to 8 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters very rough.
.FRIDAY...North to northeast winds near 20 knots, becoming near
15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 feet, except 5 to 7 feet
west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters rough, becoming a
moderate chop.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Seas 2 to 4 feet, except 4 to 5 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters becoming choppy.

$$

GMZ042>044-251500-
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-
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 25 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT...

.TODAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots, increasing to near 20 knots.
Seas 2 to 4 feet, building to 3 to 5 feet. Nearshore waters
choppy, rough. Isolated showers.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 20 knots. Seas 3 to
5 feet, except 4 to 6 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light.
Nearshore waters rough.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to near 15
knots late. Seas 3 to 5 feet, except 4 to 6 feet west of Cosgrove
Shoal Light. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming a moderate chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to
4 feet, subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate
chop.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas around 2
feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY...South to southwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
west 20 to 25 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except
building to 3 to 5 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore
waters a light to moderate chop, becoming very rough. Scattered
showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas
2 to 4 feet, except 5 to 7 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light.
Nearshore waters very rough.
.FRIDAY...North to northeast winds near 20 knots, becoming 15 to
20 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 4 feet. West of Cosgrove
Shoal Light, seas 5 to 7 feet, subsiding to 4 to 5 feet in the
afternoon. Nearshore waters rough, becoming choppy.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet.
Nearshore waters choppy.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-251500-
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-
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 25 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT...

.TODAY...East winds near 20 knots. Seas 4 to 7 feet. Isolated
showers.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas 5 to
8 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds near 20 knots, decreasing to 15 to 20
knots. Seas 5 to 7 feet, subsiding to 4 to 5 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots,
decreasing to near 15 knots. Seas 4 to 5 feet, subsiding to 3 to
4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet. Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY...South to southwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
west 20 to 25 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet, building
to 4 to 7 feet. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas
5 to 8 feet.
.FRIDAY...North to northeast winds 20 to 25 knots, becoming
northeast 15 to 20 knots in the afternoon. Seas 6 to 8 feet.
Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 5 to 7 feet.
Isolated showers.

$$

GMZ033-034-251500-
Gulf waters from East Cape Sable to Chokoloskee 20 to 60 NM out
and beyond 5 fathoms-
Gulf of Mexico including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel-
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 25 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT...

.TODAY...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots, increasing to near
20 knots. Seas 3 to 4 feet, building to 3 to 5 feet. Isolated
showers.
.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas building
to 4 to 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds near 20 knots, decreasing to 15 to 20
knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet, subsiding to 3 to 5 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to
4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2
to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet. Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY...South to southwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
northwest 20 to 25 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet,
building to 4 to 7 feet. Scattered showers and isolated
thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...North winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas 6 to 8 feet.
.FRIDAY...North to northeast winds near 20 knots, decreasing to
near 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 6 to 8 feet, subsiding to 4
to 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Seas 3 to 5 feet.

$$


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