textproduct: Key West

KEY MESSAGES

-A Small Craft Advisory remains up for the Keys Coastal waters due to fresh northerly breezes.

-Breezy conditions along the Island Chain will slacken Thursday, but the cool northerly component of our breezes will keep temperatures on the chilly side of normal.

-Probabilities are increasing for a damp and cold weekend across the Florida Keys. Portions of the Upper Keys may see wind chills in the 30s by Saturday night and Sunday morning.

KEY MESSAGES

-Though winds have come down from Small Craft Advisory conditions, Small Craft Should Exercise Caution for moderate to fresh northerly breezes.

-Breezy conditions along the Island Chain will slacken Thursday, but the cool northerly component of our breezes will keep temperatures on the chilly side of normal.

-Probabilities are increasing for a damp and cold weekend across the Florida Keys. Portions of the Upper Keys may see wind chills in the 30s by Saturday night and Sunday morning.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1050 PM EST Wed Jan 28 2026 Outside of a few light showers in the distant Straits moving thorugh the Upper Keys, KBYX has remained mostly quiet this evening and tonight. GOES-19 Visible Satellite shows that clouds have started to drift away making the Lower Keys mostly clear, while still having cloudy conditions in the rest of the island chain. Temperatures are near 60F with dewpoints dipping into the upper 30s making for a chilly night. Across the Reef, winds have slightly slackened to 15 to 20 knots. As a result, Small Craft Advisories have been taken down but Small Craft Should Exercise Caution headlines still remain as breezes are still moderate to fresh. Overnight, conditions will remain similar to the current observations therefore no other changes were necessary to this update package.

MARINE

Issued at 1050 PM EST Wed Jan 28 2026 Small Craft Should Exercise Caution for moderate to fresh breezes in the coastal waters. From synopsis, moderate to fresh northerly breezes will gradually slacken over the next couple of days as high pressure continues to move across the southeastern U.S.. Gentle to moderate northerly breezes will will briefly return Thursday night into early Saturday before a strong cold front approaches from the Gulf Saturday. Breezes will back to the northwest as the front arrives at our doorstep, and a drastic freshening will occur during Saturday. Confidence is growing for gale-force winds possible by Saturday night with marine hazards expected to continue through at least Sunday.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 1050 PM EST Wed Jan 28 2026 VFR conditions will prevail at both EYW and MTH overnight. Cloud coverage has started to diminish at EYW but at MTH higher overcast ceilings remain for a few more hours. Near surface winds will be northwest to north at 10 to 15 knots, with occasional gusts to near 20 knots.

KEY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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