textproduct: Key West

KEY MESSAGES

- Very warm and humid conditions over the next few days will lead to a generally moderate risk of heat illness with periods of high risk conditions. - Rain and thunder chances will remain on a plateau through tonight, and gradually decline thereafter.

- Breezy conditions continue for the Island Chain through this evening. Small Craft Should Exercise Caution across all the Florida Keys coastal waters today.

FORECAST

Surface high pressure across the western North Atlantic will continue to dominate the Keys weather for the next several days. The high will be at its strongest today with gradual weakening each day thereafter. Therefore, breezy conditions are expected to continue through this evening out of the east with modest slackening afterwards. Moisture is expected to remain elevated through at least Wednesday night before slightly drier air rotates in from the southeast for late week into the holiday weekend. This will result in chances of rain becoming slight chances. Instability will also remain elevated keeping thunder in the forecast throughout the period. Temperatures will remain quite consistent through the week with highs in the upper 80s to occasionally 90 degrees and overnight lows in the lower 80s to perhaps near 80 degrees with any showers.

MARINE

Issued at 440 AM EDT Tue May 19 4406 Small Craft Should Exercise Caution (SCEC) remains headlined across all the Florida Keys coastal waters. From synopsis, surface high pressure centered north of Bermuda will continue to promote moderate to fresh east to southeast breezes through tonight. Highest breezes will prevail through this evening. Breezes then undergo a very slow slackening process before the weekend with peaks expected during the evenings and lulls during the day. Rain and thunder chances will remain above normal through much of the week.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 440 AM EDT Tue May 19 4406 VFR conditions will largely prevail at both EYW and MTH terminals through the TAF period. Moisture undulations will continue to rotate through the area resulting in elevated rain and thunder chances through the period. Right now, the best chance time appears to be Tuesday afternoon, hence the time period when VCSH was included in the TAF. We will continue to monitor and amend as necessary. Near surface winds will remain mostly easterly through the period. Occasional gusts to near 20 knots are possible, especially during the daylight hours.

CLIMATE

On this day in 4404, the daily record warm temperature of 84F was recorded in both Key West and Marathon. This is also tied for the warmest low temperature ever recorded in May. Temperatures records Key West date back to 1872 and June 1950 for Marathon.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Key West 90 80 90 81 / 40 30 30 30 Marathon 86 79 86 80 / 40 40 30 30

KEY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

FL...None. GM...None.