Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Key West, FL

Home |  Current Version |  Previous Version |  Text Only |  Print | Product List |  Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
535
FZUS52 KKEY 191524
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
1124 AM EDT Sun Jul 19 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.

GMZ005-192100-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
1124 AM EDT Sun Jul 19 2026

.SYNOPSIS...At 11:00 a.m. EDT, newly formed Tropical Depression
Two was centered over the northeastern Gulf of America, about 280
nautical miles northwest of Key West Harbor, moving north-
northwestward at 2 knots. Tropical Depression Two is expected to
move slowly northwestward or north-northwestward during the next
day or two, followed by a turn toward the west. On the forecast
track, the depression will move near or along the northern Gulf
coast during the next several days. An Atlantic ridge of high
pressure will extend to the Florida Peninsula for the next several
days. Gentle to moderate south to southeasterly breezes are
expected to prevail across Florida Keys coastal waters from this
afternoon through Thursday.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of
July 17, 2026...

49 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
51 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
38 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
22 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
13 NM South 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 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.

$$

GMZ031-192100-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
1124 AM EDT Sun Jul 19 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southeast to south winds near 15 knots,
decreasing to near 10 knots. Bay waters a moderate chop, becoming
a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 10 knots, increasing to
near 15 knots after midnight. Bay waters a light chop, becoming a
moderate chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast to south winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming south
and decreasing to near 10 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate
chop, becoming a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 10 knots, becoming
southeast and increasing to 10 to 15 knots after midnight. Bay
waters a light chop, becoming a light to moderate chop.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10
knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop, becoming a light
chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop.
.WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to
a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-192100-
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-
1124 AM EDT Sun Jul 19 2026

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

$$

GMZ042>044-192100-
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-
1124 AM EDT Sun Jul 19 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southeast to south winds near 15 knots,
decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to 1 to
2 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop, becoming a light chop.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
near 15 knots after midnight. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to
around 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a
moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of
thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast to south 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 slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southeast and increasing to 10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas 1
to 2 feet, building to around 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to
a light chop, becoming a light to moderate chop.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10
knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate
chop, becoming a light chop.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas
around 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light chop.
.WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas around 2
feet. Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-192100-
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-
1124 AM EDT Sun Jul 19 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...South winds near 15 knots, decreasing to near 10
knots late. Seas 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet, subsiding
to 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: Southeast 3 feet at 5 seconds. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to
3 feet. Wave Detail: East to southeast 2 feet at 5 seconds and
west to northwest 1 foot at 5 seconds. A chance of showers with a
slight chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southeast to south winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
southeast and decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas 2 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.
.MONDAY 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.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to
near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots, becoming east to
southeast and increasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas around 2
feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas around 2 feet.
A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ033-034-192100-
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-
1124 AM EDT Sun Jul 19 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...South to southwest winds near 15 knots,
decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Wave Detail:
Southeast to south 2 feet at 4 seconds and northwest 1 foot at 5
seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of
thunderstorms.
.TONIGHT...South to southwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming south
and increasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail:
South 2 feet at 4 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight
chance of thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...South to southwest winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10
to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: South to southwest 2
feet at 4 seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
southeast to south and decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3
feet, subsiding to around 2 feet. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY...Southeast to south winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to 5
to 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas around 2 feet, subsiding to
around 1 foot.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming east to
southeast. Seas around 1 foot.
.WEDNESDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. A slight chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

$$

Kasper