HomeForecastsFlorida ForecastsChannel Key, FL - West Side Coastal Forecast

Channel Key, FL - West Side Coastal Forecast

FZUS52 KKEY 242033
CWFKEY

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Florida Keys
National Weather Service Key West FL
433 PM EDT Mon Mar 24 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.

GMZ005-250245-
Synopsis for Keys coastal waters from Ocean Reef to Dry Tortugas
433 PM EDT Mon Mar 24 2025

.SYNOPSIS...Weak low level ridging will dominate through the
first half of the week, keeping breezes light and largely
easterly. Some isolated thunderstorms are possible Tuesday and
Wednesday, mainly due to storms drifting off the mainland. A weak
front may press south through the Keys sometime Wednesday night
or Thursday. In the wake of the weak front, strong high pressure
builds in behind it leading to freshening easterly breezes through
the latter half of the week.

The Approximate Shoreward Edge of the Gulf Stream as of March 23...

71 NM South of Dry Tortugas Light...on Loggerhead Key.
42 NM South of Cosgrove Shoal Light...off the Marquesas Keys.
29 NM South of Sand Key Light...off Key West.
21 NM South of Looe Key...off Big Pine Key.
22 NM South of Sombrero Key Light...off Marathon.
19 NM Southeast of Alligator Reef Light...off Islamorada.
20 NM Southeast of Molasses Reef Light...off Key Largo.
13 NM East of Carysfort Reef Light...off Ocean Reef.

Gulf Stream Information Courtesy of the National Weather Service
in Key West and based on products from NASA SPoRT.

$$

GMZ031-250245-
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and
Buttonwood Sound-
433 PM EDT Mon Mar 24 2025

.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth to
light chop.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters
smooth to a light chop. Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters smooth
to a light chop. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...North to northeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
northeast to east in the afternoon. Bay waters smooth to a light
chop. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 10 knots, increasing to
10 to 15 knots after midnight. Bay waters a light chop, becoming
a light to moderate chop. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Bay waters becoming choppy.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 20 knots. Bay
waters rough. Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds near 20 knots. Bay waters
rough. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Bay waters choppy.
Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Bay
waters choppy. Isolated showers.

$$

GMZ032-035-250245-
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-
433 PM EDT Mon Mar 24 2025

.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
northeast to east. Seas 1 foot or less. Nearshore waters smooth
to a light chop. Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Isolated showers.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or less.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Isolated showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to
10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas 1 foot or less, building to 1
to 2 feet. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop, becoming a
light to moderate chop. Isolated showers.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Seas building to 1 to 3 feet, except building to 3 to 4 feet west
of the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters becoming choppy.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 20 knots. Seas
2 to 3 feet, except 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet west of
the Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters rough.
.FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds near 20 knots. Seas 2 to 4
feet, except 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters rough. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds near 20 knots. Seas 2 to
3 feet, except 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet west of the
Marquesas Keys. Nearshore waters rough. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas
2 to 3 feet, except 3 to 4 feet west of the Marquesas Keys.
Nearshore waters choppy. Isolated showers.

$$

GMZ042>044-250245-
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-
433 PM EDT Mon Mar 24 2025

.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
.TUESDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, subsiding
to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop.
Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Isolated showers
and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...North to northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around
1 foot. Nearshore waters smooth to a light chop. Isolated showers
and thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds near 10 knots, increasing to
10 to 15 knots after midnight. Seas building to 1 to 2 feet.
Nearshore waters a light chop, becoming a light to moderate chop.
Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Seas building to 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore
waters becoming choppy.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds near 20 knots. Seas
3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Nearshore waters rough.
Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY...East winds near 20 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet,
occasionally to 6 feet, except 4 to 6 feet, occasionally to
7 feet west of Cosgrove Shoal Light. Nearshore waters rough.
Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet,
occasionally to 7 feet. Nearshore waters very rough. Isolated
showers.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds near 20 knots. Seas 3 to
5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Nearshore waters rough. Isolated
showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas
3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet, subsiding to 3 to 4 feet.
Nearshore waters choppy. Scattered showers.

$$

GMZ052>055-072>075-250245-
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-
433 PM EDT Mon Mar 24 2025

.TONIGHT...East to southeast winds near 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3
feet, subsiding to around 2 feet. Wave Detail: East 2 feet at 5
seconds. Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds near 10 knots, becoming
northeast to east 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave Detail:
East to southeast 2 feet at 4 seconds. Isolated showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to
2 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 2 feet at 4 seconds.
Isolated showers.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds near 10 knots, increasing to 10 to
15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to 3
feet. Isolated showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to
near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet, building to 3 to 4 feet,
occasionally to 5 feet. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots, increasing to
20 to 25 knots in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 feet, occasionally
to 6 feet, building to 5 to 7 feet, occasionally to 8 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas
6 to 9 feet, occasionally to 10 feet. Isolated showers.
.FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 20 to 25 knots. Seas 7 to 9
feet, occasionally to 11 feet. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds near 20 knots. Seas 5 to
8 feet, occasionally to 10 feet. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas
5 to 7 feet, occasionally to 8 feet, subsiding to 4 to 6 feet.
Scattered showers.

$$

GMZ033-034-250245-
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-
433 PM EDT Mon Mar 24 2025

.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 1 foot.
Wave Detail: East to southeast 1 foot at 3 seconds. Isolated
showers.
.TUESDAY...East to southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming
northeast to east. Seas around 1 foot. Wave Detail: East to
southeast 1 foot at 3 seconds. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 foot or
less. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 1 foot at 3 seconds.
Isolated showers.
.WEDNESDAY...North to northeast winds near 10 knots. Seas around 1
foot. Isolated showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North to northeast winds increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to around 2 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northeast to east winds near 15 knots, briefly
decreasing to 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast to east winds increasing to 15 to 20
knots. Seas building to 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...East winds near 20 knots. Seas 4 to 5 feet,
occasionally to 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 20 to 25 knots, decreasing to near 20
knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet, occasionally to 8 feet. Isolated
showers.
.SATURDAY...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas subsiding
to 3 to 5 feet. Isolated showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East to southeast winds 15 to 20 knots,
decreasing to near 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Isolated showers.

$$

LIW


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