textproduct: Key West

KEY MESSAGES

- Warming and moistening trend expected through the end of the week with temperatures returning to near, or slightly above normal, by Friday.

- Light to gentle east to southeasterly breezes will persist through the first half of the weekend, accompanied by slight rain chances. - A strong high pressure system sinking into the northern Plains from Canada is forecast to freshen breezes early next week. - A moderate drought continues for the entire island chain. Burn bans are possible, trees and bushes begin browning, and water supply decreases.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 944 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026 It has been another lovely evening across the Florida Keys with current temperatures in the lower 70s, and accompanying dew points near 70F. Our KBYX radar has a little excitement to offer as showers are crawling northward through the distant Florida Straits. Earlier this evening, showers and thunderstorms were noted along the northern Cuba coast, and some of this activity drifted to the north over the Florida Straits. The 00Z KKEY sounding from this evening isn't necessarily supportive of significant activity, but some low level moisture may be enough to encourage these showers to continue as they track closer to the Lower and Middle Keys. We will go ahead and keep the inherited slight chance, 10%, of rain for the island chain to account for this. Otherwise, light to gentle east to southeast breezes currently in place will continue through the night. No changes or updates are needed to the current forecast package.

MARINE

Issued at 944 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026 There are no watches, warnings, or advisories in effect for the Florida Keys local waters. From synopsis, a broad Atlantic ridge will shift eastward over the next few days. Through this period, resulting gentle to moderate east to southeasterly breezes will slacken. However, impacts from nearby land breezes and cooler waters north of the island chain will make conditions more chaotic. Over the weekend, a high pressure system is primed to build over the southeastern States. Breezes will slacken to light to gentle amidst an increase in shower coverage. A reinforcing high is forecast to sweep into the eastern US in the latter half of the weekend, and may prompt rapidly freshening breezes early next week.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 944 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026 VFR conditions will prevail at both island terminals with east to southeast winds of 5 to 10 knots. Some residual cloud cover from distant shower activity may lead to infrequent MVFR CIGs around 10Z, but notable impacts at either airport are not expected.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Key West 69 81 69 81 / 10 10 20 10 Marathon 70 82 69 82 / 10 10 20 10

KEY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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