textproduct: Miami - South Florida

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1238 PM EDT Wed Mar 18 2026

- Hazardous marine conditions continue into Thursday for all South FL waters.

- A high risk of rip currents will continue through at least Thursday for the east coast beaches.

- Below normal temperatures continue today, with a slow moderating trend for the end of the week and into the upcoming weekend.

SHORT TERM

(Today through Thursday) Issued at 102 AM EDT Wed Mar 18 2026

It's going to be a cool and cloudy couple of days with a frontal boundary lingering just to our south and an upper level trough in control of the eastern US, with several weak impulses moving through the region. Low clouds and occasional rain showers will continue to plague SE FL, while much drier conditions are expected over the NW portion of the forecast area. PWAT value difference between Glades county and Miami-Dade county today will be staggering, with 0.6-0.8 inches across Glades county, and around 1.4 inches in Miami-Dade. QPF totals today will be fairly meager, with a trace to around a quarter inch over far southern FL.

With a brisk northerly wind remaining in place, temperatures will be well below normal today, only reaching the upper 60s to lower 70s. Lows tonight will be a bit milder ranging from the low to mid 50s over interior and SW FL, to lower 60s across the east coast metro. While the threat of coastal showers will remain on Thursday, a bit less cloud cover should allow for more warming, although it will remain below normal. High temps on Thursday will be in the low to middle 70s across the east coast metro, and mid to upper 70s over interior and SW FL.

LONG TERM

(Thursday night through Tuesday) Issued at 102 AM EDT Wed Mar 18 2026

The frontal boundary will eventually dissipate on Friday while the larger scale trough axis will begin to move off to the east. Some coastal showers will remain possible on Friday. This weekend surface high pressure builds into the region bringing drier air and lowering rainfall chances below 10%, despite a couple of weak shortwaves moving quickly across the area. The next frontal boundary will drop into northern FL early next week, however without an upper level push, the frontal boundary will struggle to make it much further south than northern FL. With the low levels becoming more easterly, there will be a slight chance of coastal showers for Tuesday through mid week.

Temperatures during the extended period will be slightly below normal on Friday into the beginning of the weekend and moderating to slightly above normal by early next week.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1238 PM EDT Wed Mar 18 2026

MVFR to IFR conditions should continue to prevail through the afternoon with improving ceilings expected sometime around 00Z this evening. Light SHRA remains possible at east coast terminals, thus have maintained VCSH throughout the forecast period although shower activity should begin to taper off sometime overnight.

MARINE

Issued at 102 AM EDT Wed Mar 18 2026

Hazardous winds and seas will continue for the Atlantic waters through at least Thursday evening. Hazardous winds expected through this morning in the Gulf waters, remaining cautionary through much of the day, and then becoming hazardous again this evening through the middle of Thursday morning. Seas in the Atlantic 5-9 ft, and 3-6 ft in the Gulf. Occasional thunderstorms are possible today in the southern Atlantic waters.

BEACHES

Issued at 102 AM EDT Wed Mar 18 2026

An elevated N/NE swell will result in a high risk of rip currents for the Atlantic beaches through at least Thursday.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Miami 63 76 61 77 / 40 10 20 20 West Kendall 59 79 58 79 / 40 10 20 20 Opa-Locka 62 78 61 78 / 30 10 20 20 Homestead 63 78 61 78 / 40 10 20 20 Fort Lauderdale 62 75 62 76 / 30 10 20 20 N Ft Lauderdale 63 75 62 76 / 30 10 20 20 Pembroke Pines 63 79 62 79 / 30 10 20 20 West Palm Beach 61 75 61 76 / 20 10 20 20 Boca Raton 62 76 62 76 / 30 10 30 30 Naples 56 79 58 80 / 10 0 0 0

MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

FL...High Rip Current Risk through Thursday evening for FLZ168-172- 173.

AM...Small Craft Advisory from 5 PM this afternoon to 11 AM EDT Thursday for AMZ630.

Small Craft Advisory until 8 PM EDT Thursday for AMZ650-651-670- 671.

GM...Small Craft Advisory until 11 AM EDT Thursday for GMZ656-657-676.