604
FZUS52 KKEY 170824
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
424 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 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.

GMZ005-172030-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
424 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
A split ridge pattern will remain across Keys waters for at least
the next several days. This will keep a col somewhere near the
Keys and keep winds light and often variable. Breezes will tend to
peak in the evening and overnight hours, before lulling during
the day, particularly over the outer eastern Straits. Winds may
briefly firm up to a gentle east to southeasterly breeze this
weekend as the Atlantic ridge expands westward, flushing westward
the col.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of
July 12...

63 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
38 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
21 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
13 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
12 NM South of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
 7 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada.
 3 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.

$$

GMZ031-172030-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
424 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

.TODAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a
light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 10 knots,
increasing to 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming a
light to moderate chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a
light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots,
increasing to near 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light chop,
becoming a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southeast 10 to 15 knots after midnight. Bay waters smooth to a
light chop, becoming a light to moderate chop.
.TUESDAY...Southeast to south winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming 5 to
10 knots in the afternoon. Bay waters a light to moderate chop,
becoming smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop.

$$

GMZ032-035-172030-
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-
424 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

.TODAY...Variable winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Variable winds near 5 knots, becoming southeast and
increasing to 5 to 10 knots after midnight. Seas 1 foot or less,
building to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth, becoming
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming southeast
to south and increasing to 10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas
around 1 foot, building to 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to
a light chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop,
becoming smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing
to near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to
a light chop, becoming a light chop. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots, becoming
around 10 knots after midnight. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore
waters smooth, becoming a light chop.
.TUESDAY...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.

$$

GMZ042>044-172030-
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-
424 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

.TODAY...Variable winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Variable winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming southeast and
increasing to near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot, building to 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light
chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to
3 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light
to moderate chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots. Seas around 2 feet, subsiding to 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light chop, becoming smooth to a light chop. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing
to near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot, building to 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light chop. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southeast 10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a light to
moderate chop.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming 5 to 10 knots
in the afternoon. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to
moderate chop, becoming smooth to a light chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-172030-
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-
424 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

.TODAY...Variable winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave
Detail: East 1 foot at 4 seconds. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Variable winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming east to
southeast and increasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
building to 1 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 2 feet at
4 seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming east to
southeast and decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 3 feet,
subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 2 feet
at 4 seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots, becoming
southeast and increasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...Southeast to south winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to
5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to 1
to 2 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to 3 feet. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast to south winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots. Seas around 2 feet, subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southeast 10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming east to
southeast 5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.

$$

GMZ033-034-172030-
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-
424 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

.TODAY...Northwest to north winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Wave Detail: Northwest to north 1 foot at 4 seconds. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 5 knots, becoming
southeast to south after midnight. Seas around 1 foot. Wave
Detail: Northwest to north 1 foot at 5 seconds. A chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming south.
Seas around 1 foot. Wave Detail: Northwest to north 1 foot at 5
seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots,
increasing to near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...South to southwest winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers with a slight
chance of thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
south and increasing to near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South winds near 10 knots, becoming southwest and
decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of
showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A
slight chance of showers.
.TUESDAY...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. A slight chance of showers.

$$

MJV