250
FZUS52 KKEY 311458
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
958 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

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.

Wave Detail will include details about the period and direction
of origin for the highest energy waves. Long-period swells coming
from a different direction than the wind would be included in the
Wave Detail.

GMZ005-010300-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
958 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

.SYNOPSIS...Mainly fresh northwest to north breezes will slacken
slowly through the day as high pressure moves east to southeast
into the eastern Gulf. Another nocturnal wind surge is expected
overnight into tomorrow morning, but once the high moves overhead
towards the end of the week/weekend breezes become light and
variable.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of December
27...

18 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
11 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
12 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
12 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
13 NM Southeast of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
 8 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada.
 2 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 based on products from NASA SPoRT and RTOFS.

$$

GMZ031-010300-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
958 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL WINDS DECREASE...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds 15 to 20 knots,
decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters choppy, becoming a light
to moderate chop.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to
near 15 knots. Bay waters a light to moderate chop, becoming a
moderate chop.
.THURSDAY...Northwest to north winds near near 15 knots,
decreasing to 5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay waters a
moderate chop, becoming smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
north to northeast. Bay waters smooth to a light chop.
.FRIDAY...North to northeast winds near 5 knots, becoming variable.
Bay waters smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Variable winds near 5 knots. Bay waters smooth.
.SATURDAY...Variable winds near 5 knots, becoming southwest. Bay
waters smooth.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds near 5 knots, becoming southwest
to west 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth, becoming smooth to a
light chop.
.SUNDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots, becoming west to
northwest near 15 knots. Bay waters a light chop, becoming a
moderate chop.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West to northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay
waters a light to moderate chop.

$$

GMZ032-035-010300-
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-
958 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL WINDS DECREASE...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds 15 to 20 knots,
decreasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5
feet, except 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming a moderate
chop.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 15 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet, except 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 6 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a moderate chop.
.THURSDAY...Northwest to north 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. West of the Marquesas Keys, seas around 3 feet,
subsiding to around 2 feet. Nearshore waters a light to moderate
chop, becoming smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming north to
northeast. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light
chop.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds near 5 knots, becoming variable.
Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Variable winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY...Variable winds near 5 knots, becoming south to
southwest. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds near 5 knots, becoming southwest
to west 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters
smooth, becoming smooth to a light chop.
.SUNDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots, becoming west to
northwest 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except building to 2
to 3 feet west of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters a light
chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. Isolated showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest 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.

$$

GMZ042>044-010300-
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-
958 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL WINDS DECREASE...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds 15 to 20 knots,
decreasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to around
2 feet. West of Cosgrove Shoal Light, seas 4 to 5 feet,
occasionally to 6 feet, subsiding to 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to
5 feet. Nearshore waters choppy, becoming a moderate chop.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 15 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet, except subsiding to around 3 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal
Light. Nearshore waters a moderate chop.
.THURSDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10
knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except 2 to 3 feet west of Cosgrove
Shoal Light. Nearshore waters a light to moderate chop, becoming
smooth to a light chop.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming north to
northeast. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light
chop.
.FRIDAY...North to northeast winds near 5 knots, becoming variable.
Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Variable winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY...Variable winds near 5 knots, becoming south to
southwest. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds near 5 knots, becoming southwest
to west 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters
smooth, becoming smooth to a light chop.
.SUNDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots, increasing to
near 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, except building to 2 to 3 feet
west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore waters a light chop,
becoming a moderate chop. Isolated showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet,
except 2 to 3 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore waters
a light to moderate chop.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-010300-
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-
958 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL WINDS DECREASE AND
SEAS SUBSIDE...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest to north winds 15 to 20 knots,
decreasing to near 15 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet, occasionally to 8
feet, subsiding to 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave
Detail: Northwest to north 5 feet at 6 seconds.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 15 knots. Seas 3 to
4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: North 3 feet at 7
seconds.
.THURSDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10
knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet, subsiding to 2
to 3 feet. Wave Detail: North 3 feet at 6 seconds.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...North winds near 10 knots, becoming north to
northeast. Seas around 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds near 5 knots, becoming variable. Seas 1
to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Variable winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY...Variable winds near 5 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Variable winds near 5 knots, becoming southwest
to west 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest to west winds near 10 knots, becoming west to
northwest near 15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to 3
feet. Isolated showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Isolated showers.

$$

GMZ033-034-010300-
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-
958 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL WINDS DECREASE...

.THIS AFTERNOON...North winds 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to near
15 knots. Seas 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet, subsiding to 3
to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave Detail: Northwest to
north 5 feet at 7 seconds.
.TONIGHT...Northwest to north winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10
to 15 knots. Seas 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet, subsiding
to around 3 feet. Wave Detail: Northwest to north 4 feet at 7
seconds.
.THURSDAY...Northwest to north winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming
north to northeast 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to
1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail: Northwest to north 3 feet at 6 seconds.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...North to northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas
1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northeast to east winds near 5 knots, becoming variable.
Seas around 1 foot.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Variable winds near 5 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.SATURDAY...Southeast to south winds near 5 knots, becoming south
to southwest 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...South to southwest winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
southwest near 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Isolated showers.
.SUNDAY...Southwest to west winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming west to
northwest. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Isolated showers.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest to north winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas
2 to 3 feet.

$$

MJV/JAM