885
FZUS52 KKEY 160231
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
1031 PM EDT Wed Jul 15 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.

GMZ005-161445-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
1031 PM EDT Wed Jul 15 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
Elongated high pressure across the Florida Peninsula will support
gentle to moderate east to southeast breezes through the rest of
the week for the Keys coastal waters. Breezes will tend to peak in
the evening and overnight hours, before modestly lulling in the
late morning and afternoon periods. A large area of Saharan dust
will remain in place across the Florida Keys marine zones for the
next several days, acting to limit rain and thunder chances.

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.

$$

GMZ031-161445-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
1031 PM EDT Wed Jul 15 2026

.OVERNIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a
light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots early, becoming
east to southeast. Bay waters smooth to a light chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots, becoming southeast
to south. Bay waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Bay waters
smooth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light
chop. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South winds near 5 knots. Bay waters smooth. A
slight chance of showers.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to a light
chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay
waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.

$$

GMZ032-035-161445-
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-
1031 PM EDT Wed Jul 15 2026

.OVERNIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot, except
1 to 2 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a
light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...East winds near 10 knots early, 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.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds decreasing to near 5
knots. Seas subsiding to 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters
becoming smooth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East to southeast winds near 5 knots, becoming variable.
Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot
or less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...South winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas
1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of
showers.

$$

GMZ042>044-161445-
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-
1031 PM EDT Wed Jul 15 2026

.OVERNIGHT...East winds near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...East winds near 10 knots, 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. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...East winds near 5 knots, becoming variable. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...East to southeast winds near 5
knots. Seas around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth. A slight chance of
showers.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. A slight chance of
showers.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-161445-
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-
1031 PM EDT Wed Jul 15 2026

.OVERNIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave
Detail: East 3 feet at 5 seconds. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave
Detail: East 3 feet at 4 seconds. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas
subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: East 2 feet at 4 seconds.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
around 1 foot.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet.

$$

GMZ033-034-161445-
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-
1031 PM EDT Wed Jul 15 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2
feet. Wave Detail: East 2 feet at 4 seconds. A slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 1 foot at 3 seconds. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Wave Detail: Northwest to north 1 foot at 3 seconds. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...North to northeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...Variable winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A
slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots. Seas
around 1 foot. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...South to southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas around
1 foot. A slight chance of showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot. A
slight chance of showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds near 5 knots, becoming
variable. Seas around 1 foot. A slight chance of showers.

$$