Marine Weather Net

Apalachee Bay and Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River FL out 20 NM Marine Forecast


TODAY

NW
WINDS
15 - 20
KNOTS

TONIGHT

N
WINDS
10 - 15
KNOTS

FRIDAY

NE
WINDS
10 - 15
KNOTS

FRIDAY NIGHT

W
WINDS
5 KNOTS

The Marine Weather Forecast In Detail:
GMZ730 Forecast Issued: 315 AM EDT Thu Mar 28 2024

SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION
Today...Northwest Winds 15 To 20 Knots. Seas 3 To 5 Feet With A Dominant Period Of 5 Seconds. Protected Waters Choppy. A Chance Of Showers Early This Morning.
Tonight...North Winds 10 To 15 Knots. Seas 2 To 4 Feet With A Dominant Period Of 6 Seconds. Protected Waters A Moderate Chop.
Friday...Northeast Winds 10 To 15 Knots, Diminishing To 5 To 10 Knots In The Afternoon. Seas 2 To 4 Feet With A Dominant Period Of 4 Seconds. Protected Waters A Moderate Chop.
Friday Night...West Winds Around 5 Knots, Becoming Northeast After Midnight. Seas Around 2 Feet With A Dominant Period Of 7 Seconds In The Evening, Then 1 Foot Or Less. Protected Waters A Light Chop.
Saturday...Southeast Winds 5 To 10 Knots, Becoming South In The Afternoon. Waves 1 Foot Or Less. Protected Waters A Light Chop.
Saturday Night...Southwest Winds 5 To 10 Knots. Waves 1 Foot Or Less. Protected Waters A Light Chop.
Sunday...South Winds 5 To 10 Knots. Waves 1 Foot Or Less, Then Around 2 Feet With A Dominant Period Of 4 Seconds In The Afternoon. Protected Waters A Light Chop.
Sunday Night...South Winds Around 10 Knots. Seas Around 2 Feet With A Dominant Period Of 3 Seconds. Protected Waters A Light Chop.
Monday...South Winds 5 To 10 Knots. Seas Around 2 Feet With A Dominant Period Of 5 Seconds. Protected Waters A Light Chop.
Monday Night...South Winds 10 To 15 Knots. Seas 2 To 3 Feet With A Dominant Period Of 5 Seconds. Protected Waters A Moderate Chop.
SHARE THIS PAGE:           
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
626am EDT Thu Mar 28 2024

.SHORT TERM... (Friday through Saturday night) Issued at 316am EDT Thu Mar 28 2024

For the start of the short term, cool conditions with morning lows in the mid 40s as we begin Friday. This will be due to the likely radiational cooling early Friday morning as we are expecting clear skies and light to calm winds. Surface high pressure is expected to drift east-southeast through the day and the passage of a weak upper level ridge. The ridge is expected to flatten as we head into Saturday evening, and the surface high pressure will be centered east of the peninsula. Benign conditions are expected to prevail, with another night of cool temperatures in the mid to upper 40s.

Afternoon temperatures during the short term will be gradually increasing for the weekend. Friday's highs will range from the low to upper 70s, with the warmer temperatures south of I-10. Saturday's highs will be in the upper 70s to low 80s. Moisture advection from the Gulf returns Saturday night, allowing for low temperatures to be a little warmer in the low 50s, and upper 50s along the coastal regions.

Long Term
(Sunday through Wednesday) Issued at 316am EDT Thu Mar 28 2024

The upper level ridging builds up again heading into the beginning of the work week. Calm and dry conditions are expected to continue for Monday. An upper level low is forecast to develop over the central plains late Monday with an associated cold front at the surface, which will bring our next chances for rain heading into Tuesday and Wednesday. Probability of Precipitation peak at around 40-50 percent Tuesday night into Wednesday, with showers and thunderstorms possible. Nothing in our region has been highlighted by the national centers concerning severe or heavy rain, but the Climate Prediction Center has been noting that we can expect above average rainfall in the coming week. Afternoon temperatures for the long term will be increasing into the mid 80s and morning lows will be warming into the low 60s.

Marine
Issued at 316am EDT Thu Mar 28 2024

Showers and thunderstorms will continue across our eastern waters through this morning. The front associated with this is expected to exit the region during the morning hours today. Increasing north winds are expected behind this system, with fresh to strong breezes expected west of Apalachicola. A Small Craft Advisory has been issued for both near and offshore zones as a result through 00z tonight. Boating conditions will start to improve later in the day with conditions improving through the weekend.

Fire Weather
Issued at 316am EDT Thu Mar 28 2024

After a period of wet weather, high pressure returns to the region and brings a stretch of dry weather. The main fire weather concerns will be area wide high dispersions today and Saturday, with pockets of low dispersions across SE AL and SW GA on Friday. In addition to dispersions, minRH values of 20 to 40 percent west of the Flint and Apalachicola Rivers are forecast for today and tomorrow minRH values should range from about 25 to 35 percent, highest along the FL coast and in the eastern counties of the FL Big Bend.

Hydrology
Issued at 613am EDT Thu Mar 28 2024

Recent rainfall has caused rises on several rivers across the area. Minor flooding will be possible along the Ochlockonee River at Concord by this weekend. For the Ochlockonee River at Thomasville, the flood warning has been cancelled, but still remains in Action Stage. The Apalachicola River at Blountstown is currently forecast to crest near flood stage, but current observations are tracking slightly below the forecast so confidence is lower on actually reaching flood stage barring any changes in releases upstream. Otherwise, several other rivers have risen into action stage or are forecast to rise into action stage over the next few days including Bruce Creek, the Withlacoochee River, Searcy Creek, and the Ochlockonee River further downstream from Concord. The good news is that after the rain from Wednesday through Wednesday night, no additional rainfall accumulation is expected for the upcoming week.

NOAA Tallahassee FL Office: Watches - Warnings - Advisories
FL...High Rip Current Risk through this evening for FLZ108-112-114- 115.

GA...None. AL...None. GM...Small Craft Advisory until 1pm CDT this afternoon for GMZ750- 752.

Small Craft Advisory until 7pm CDT this evening for GMZ770-772.