textproduct: Key West

KEY MESSAGES

- Very warm and humid conditions over the next few days will lead to bouts of major risk of heat illness in the afternoon hours, with little relief during the overnight periods. - Quick moving showers and storms may bring bursts of heavy rainfall, reduced visibility, and gusty winds through the weekend.

- Confidence is increasing for a potentially wet and thundery period through the middle to latter part of next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 533 AM EDT Sat May 23 2026 Scattered showers have dwindled down as the morning hours start up in the Florida Keys. Now seen on Nighttime Microphysics is mostly clear skies for the region. Temperatures are in the lower 80s with dewpoints in the mid to upper 70s making it feel a little muggy outside. Across the Reef, winds are southeasterly at 15 to 20 knots. Small Craft Should Exercise Caution Until Winds Decrease headlines are in effect for the Hawk Channel and Straits of Florida as a result. High pressure will continue to dominate our pattern with winds slackening in the late morning hours and re- freshening in the overnight periods. Showers will continue to pop up occasionally in different locations but not expecting it to be an all day soaker in any given spot.

A similar pattern is expected through early next week with upper level ridging and surface high promoting east to southeasterly breezes with a chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. As the week progresses, the ridge will move southeasterly resulting in the wind direction veering more southeast to south and allowing for an increase in tropical moisture. Around Tuesday night rain chances will become elevated for a few periods before returning to seasonal norm on Thursday. Temperatures will continue to be in the upper 80s during the day and not much relief with the lows in the lower 80s for the majority of the upcoming week.

MARINE

Issued at 533 AM EDT Sat May 23 2026 Small Craft should exercise caution until winds decrease in the Hawk Channel and the Straits of Florida. From synopsis, the surface pattern will remain generally unchanged for the next few days, with breezes peaking to near fresh in the evening and overnight hours, slackening to gentle to moderate in the late morning and afternoon hours. A second high pressure system will reinforce the first, supporting fresh east to southeast breezes late in the weekend into early next week.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 533 AM EDT Sat May 23 2026 VFR conditions will prevail at both EYW and MTH through the TAF period. Quick showers could pass through either terminal but confidence in timing and location will leave mention out of the TAF for the time being. Near surface winds will continue to be east to southeast at near 10 knots.

KEY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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