Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Key West, FL

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FZUS52 KKEY 121420
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
1020 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 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.

GMZ005-122030-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
1020 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2024

.SYNOPSIS...Moderate to occasionally fresh northwest breezes have
developed in the wake of a recent frontal passage. Breezes will
slacken briefly later this afternoon and begin to clock around to
the northeast as high pressure quickly slides eastward. Expect a
nocturnal surge to develop overnight tonight with the potential
for fresh northeast breezes. Thereafter, the high will slide into
the western Atlantic and remain through the remainder of the
forecast period with peaks and lulls expected.

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

$$

GMZ031-122030-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
1020 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2024

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds 10 to 15 knots,
decreasing to near 10 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop,
becoming a light chop.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming north
to northeast 15 to 20 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop,
becoming choppy.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming northeast to
east near 15 knots. Bay waters choppy, becoming a moderate chop.
.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...Northeast to east winds near 15
knots. Bay waters a moderate chop.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds decreasing to 10 to 15
knots. Bay waters becoming a light to moderate chop.
.MONDAY...East winds increasing to near 15 knots. Bay waters
becoming a moderate chop.
.MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots.
Bay waters choppy.

$$

GMZ032-035-122030-
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-
1020 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds near 15 knots,
decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet, except 4 to 6 feet
west of the Marquesas Keys due to a northwest swell. Nearshore
waters a moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming north
to northeast near 20 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet, except 5 to 6 feet
west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming
rough.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming northeast to
east 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 feet, subsiding
to 2 to 4 feet. West of the Marquesas Keys, seas 5 to 6 feet,
subsiding to 4 to 5 feet. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming a
light to moderate chop.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots,
increasing to 15 to 20 knots after midnight. Seas 1 to 3 feet,
except 3 to 4 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a
light to moderate chop, becoming choppy.
.SUNDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming east
near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 3 to 4 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming a moderate chop.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1
to 2 feet, except 2 to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters becoming a light to moderate chop.
.MONDAY...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.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas building to 2 to 3
feet, except building to 3 to 4 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters choppy.
.TUESDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 3
to 4 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters choppy.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 20 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet,
except 4 to 5 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters
rough.

$$

GMZ042>044-122030-
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-
1020 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds near 15 knots,
decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 3 to 5 feet
west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore waters a moderate chop,
becoming a light to moderate chop.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming north
to northeast near 20 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 4 to 5 feet
west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming
rough.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots, briefly decreasing to
near 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet, except 4 to 5
feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore waters choppy,
briefly becoming a moderate chop.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas
2 to 4 feet. Nearshore waters choppy.
.SUNDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to
near 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Nearshore
waters choppy, becoming a moderate chop.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2
to 3 feet. Nearshore waters becoming a light to moderate chop.
.MONDAY...East winds increasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3
feet. Nearshore waters becoming a moderate chop.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet,
except building to 3 to 5 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light.
Nearshore waters choppy.
.TUESDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet, except
4 to 5 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore waters
choppy.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 20 knots. Seas 3 to 6 feet.
Nearshore waters rough.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-122030-
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-
1020 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2024

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FOR SEAS...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds near 15 knots,
decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 3 to 6 feet due to a west
swell.
.TONIGHT...North to northeast winds 15 to 20 knots, increasing to
near 20 knots. Seas 3 to 6 feet, building to 4 to 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...North to northeast winds near 20 knots, becoming
northeast 15 to 20 knots. Seas 5 to 7 feet, subsiding to 4 to 6
feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas
4 to 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 4 to
6 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds near 15 knots. Seas subsiding to 3 to
5 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast to east winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Seas 3 to 5 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds near 20 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds near 20 knots. Seas building to 5 to 7
feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas 6 to 8 feet.

$$

GMZ033-034-122030-
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-
1020 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2024

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds 15 to 20 knots,
briefly decreasing to near 15 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet due to a
northwest swell.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming north
to northeast near 20 knots. Seas 5 to 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds near 20 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15
knots in the afternoon. Seas 5 to 6 feet, subsiding to 3 to 5
feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots,
increasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming east
10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas building to 3 to 5
feet.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 3 to
5 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 20 knots. Seas building to 4 to 6
feet.

$$

LIW/NB


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