Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Key West, FL
Issued by NWS Key West, FL
939 FZUS52 KKEY 252025 CWFKEY Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys National Weather Service Key West FL 425 PM EDT Tue Aug 25 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. GMZ005-260830- Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas 425 PM EDT Tue Aug 25 2026 .SYNOPSIS...The western periphery of an Atlantic high is expected to maintain control of the Keys for the next several days. This will promote peaking and lulling east to southeast breezes. Breezes will peak in the evening through early morning and lull in the afternoons. The strongest surge of breezes is anticipated to be Wednesday night where mostly moderate breezes are expected throughout the Florida Keys coastal waters. The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of August 19, 2026... 37 NM south of Dry Tortugas Light, on Loggerhead Key 20 NM south-southeast of Cosgrove Shoal Light, off the Marquesas Keys 14 NM south-southeast of Sand Key Light, off Key West 10 NM south-southeast of Looe Key, off Big Pine Key 10 NM south-southeast of Sombrero Key Light, off Marathon 3 NM southeast of Alligator Reef Light, off Islamorada 1 NM west-northwest of Molasses Reef Light, off Key Largo 1 NM east-southeast of Carysfort Reef Light, off Ocean Reef Gulf Stream Information Courtesy of the Naval Oceanographic Office. $$ GMZ031-260830- Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound- 425 PM EDT Tue Aug 25 2026 .TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY...East winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SUNDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters a light chop. Showers and thunderstorms likely. .SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. $$ GMZ032-035-260830- 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- 425 PM EDT Tue Aug 25 2026 .TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot, except 1 to 2 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...Southeast winds near 10 knots, becoming east to southeast and 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. .THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. .SUNDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. $$ GMZ042>044-260830- Hawk Channel from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out to the reef- Hawk Channel from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out to the reef- Hawk Channel from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to Halfmoon Shoal out to the reef- 425 PM EDT Tue Aug 25 2026 .TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas around 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas around 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas around 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop, becoming a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SUNDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. $$ GMZ052>055-072>075-260830- 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- 425 PM EDT Tue Aug 25 2026 .TONIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming east to southeast. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 3 feet at 4 seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 3 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, building to 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: East 3 feet at 4 seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots, increasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas around 2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. $$ GMZ033-034-260830- Gulf of America from East Cape Sable to Chokoloskee 20 to 60 NM out and beyond 5 fathoms- Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel- 425 PM EDT Tue Aug 25 2026 .TONIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot, building to 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 1 foot at 2 seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 1 foot at 3 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming southeast. Seas around 2 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 2 feet at 4 seconds. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .THURSDAY...Southeast winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. .THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. .SUNDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. .SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. $$