Marine Weather Net

Apalachicola to Destin FL from 20 to 60 NM Marine Forecast


TODAY

SE
WINDS
5 - 10
KNOTS

TONIGHT

S
WINDS
10 - 15
KNOTS

SATURDAY

SW
WINDS
10 - 15
KNOTS

SATURDAY NIGHT

NE
WINDS
15 - 20
KNOTS

The Marine Weather Forecast In Detail:
GMZ770 Forecast Issued: 936 AM CST Fri Jan 16 2026

Today...Southeast Winds 5 To 10 Knots, Becoming South 10 To 15 Knots This Afternoon. Seas Around 3 Feet This Morning, Then 1 Foot Or Less. Wave Detail: Northwest 2 Feet At 5 Seconds And West 2 Feet At 8 Seconds, Becoming Southeast 2 Feet At 3 Seconds And West 1 Foot At 4 Seconds. Protected Waters A Moderate Chop.
Tonight...South Winds 10 To 15 Knots. Seas Around 3 Feet. Wave Detail: Southwest 3 Feet At 5 Seconds. Protected Waters A Moderate Chop. A Chance Of Showers With A Slight Chance Of Thunderstorms After Midnight.
Saturday...Southwest Winds 10 To 15 Knots, Becoming East In The Afternoon. Seas Around 3 Feet. Wave Detail: South 3 Feet At 5 Seconds. Protected Waters A Moderate Chop. Showers Likely.
Saturday Night...Northeast Winds 15 To 20 Knots, Becoming North 20 To 25 Knots With Gusts Up To 35 Knots After Midnight. Seas 3 To 5 Feet, Occasionally To 6 Feet. Wave Detail: Northwest 5 Feet At 5 Seconds And East 2 Feet At 4 Seconds. Protected Waters Rough. Showers Likely In The Evening, Then Rain After Midnight.
Sunday...North Winds 25 To 30 Knots, Diminishing To 20 To 25 Knots In The Afternoon. Seas 4 To 6 Feet, Occasionally To 8 Feet. Wave Detail: North 6 Feet At 5 Seconds And Southeast 1 Foot At 5 Seconds. Protected Waters Very Rough. Rain Likely, Mainly In The Morning.
Sunday Night...North Winds 15 To 20 Knots, Diminishing To 10 To 15 Knots After Midnight. Seas 3 To 4 Feet. Wave Detail: Northwest 4 Feet At 5 Seconds. Protected Waters Choppy.
Monday...North Winds 10 To 15 Knots. Waves 1 Foot Or Less. Protected Waters A Moderate Chop.
Monday Night...North Winds 10 To 15 Knots, Increasing To 15 To 20 Knots After Midnight. Waves 1 Foot Or Less, Then Around 3 Feet After Midnight. Protected Waters Choppy.
Tuesday...Northeast Winds 15 To 20 Knots. Seas 3 To 4 Feet. Protected Waters Choppy.
Tuesday Night...Northeast Winds 10 To 15 Knots. Seas Around 3 Feet In The Evening, Then 1 Foot Or Less. Protected Waters A Moderate Chop. Winds And Waves Higher In And Near Thunderstorms.
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Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
1006am EST Fri Jan 16 2026

...New

.KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 952am EST Fri Jan 16 2026

- There is a low chance (10 to 30%) of a rain/snow mix on Sunday morning over southeastern Alabama, portions of southwestern Georgia and the inland Florida Panhandle.

Issued at 952am EST Fri Jan 16 2026

Updates do not appear necessary this morning, the forecast is generally on track.

.SHORT TERM... (Today and Tonight) Issued at 105am EST Fri Jan 16 2026

A narrow surface high will pass directly across the region early this morning. By this afternoon, it will already be in the Atlantic east of Florida. We will therefore get a quick turn to low-level southerly flow no later than midday. To our south, continental polar air has fully en-Gulfed the Gulf, so the air mass modification will take some time. Nonetheless, enough moisture return will take place this afternoon for some pancake- flat stratocumulus clouds. Afternoon temperature will trend up about 4-10 degrees from Thursday's cold temperatures.

For tonight, the addition of SCT-BKN clouds, dewpoints moistening through the 40s, and increasing wind will team up to hold low temperatures up in the 40s, except for upper 30s further east near I-75 and the Suwannee Valley.

Late tonight, PWAT (Precipitable Water) values will have finally recovered into the 0.8- 1.0 inch range. With confluent southerly flow over the Panhandle waters to provide some focus, low-topped showers will start to blossom in the pre-dawn hours Saturday, initially over the FL Panhandle.

Long Term
(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 105am EST Fri Jan 16 2026

The point of interest in recent forecasts has been potential for wintry precipitation from late Saturday night into Sunday. The official forecast has no substantive changes from the forecast that was produced on Thursday afternoon. If anything, guidance has been walking back the extent of wintry precip, more in line with the less impactful and more benign Scenario #1 that has been laid out in previous discussions. Like the last forecast, the new forecast this morning keeps most of rain/snow mix north of a DeFuniak Springs to Tifton line. The chance of measurable or accumulating snow has dropped more solidly into low chance category.

The meteorological setup will be a strong polar cold front that will be sliding southeast across the region from Saturdaypm into Sunday. The front will be preceded and accompanied by light rain. On Sunday morning, consensus still points to a narrow zone on the back end of the precipitation where incoming cold air overlaps enough with the exiting light precipitation for a narrow sliver with a rain/snow mix. Duration of this mix will be short (1-3 hours) at any given locale.

Most places will have no impact for a few reasons. Ground temperatures will still be somewhat warm after target areas on Saturday get high temperatures near 60 degrees. In addition, air temperatures within any rain/snow mix will range from 32-36 degrees. Precip is unlikely to be heavy enough to overcome the melting that will take place as precipitation reaches the ground. So this will mainly be a novelty event, for those who get to see some flakes of snow falling from the sky. If an isolated spot over Alabama or Georgia manages to get a light dusting that lingers in shaded grassy areas, then the dusting would stick around until Monday, given the hard freeze that is expected on Monday morning.

Beyond Sunday, the highly amplified upper trough over the eastern half of the CONUS will remain in place but gradually become less amplified through Thursday. The continual reinforcement of cold air from the northwest will finally ease starting Wednesday as surface high pressure settles into Georgia and our low-level flow takes on a milder and more easterly component. After many colder-than-normal days, temperatures will rise back to near normal next Thursday.

Marine
Issued at 105am EST Fri Jan 16 2026

A brief lull in winds is expected early this morning as a narrow high center passes across the waters. Once the high moves east of Florida this afternoon, moderate to perhaps fresh southerly breezes will develop and continue into Saturday morning. A sharp cold front will slowly edge south into the Panhandle waters late Saturday, then accelerate across the rest of the waters Sunday morning. Strong northerly breezes are expected right behind the front. Winds will gradually decrease through Monday, then clock around northeasterly Tuesday as high pressure moves by north of the waters.

Fire Weather
Issued at 105am EST Fri Jan 16 2026

Southerly flow will get underway today, becoming strong enough for high dispersion this afternoon over the Florida Panhandle and Southeast Alabama. A moister air mass will also start to spread in on southerly flow, but the I-75 corridor and Suwannee Valley will hang on to dry air for one more day. Then on Saturday, pockets of low dispersion are expected due to thicker cloud cover and a more stable air mass. A polar cold front will pass the districts from late Saturday through Sunday, accompanied by some light rain. There is a low chance of mixing with snow on Sunday morning, mainly north of a DeFuniak Springs to Tifton line. Monday through Wednesday will feature a cold and dry air mass but decreasing wind by Wednesday as high pressure passes nearby.

Hydrology
Issued at 105am EST Fri Jan 16 2026

Flooding is not expected for at least the next 7 days. Rainfall amounts through Sunday will not be hydrologically significant, nor will they be enough to provide drought relief.

NOAA Tallahassee FL Office: Watches - Warnings - Advisories
FL...High Rip Current Risk through Saturday afternoon for FLZ112-114.

GA...None. AL...None. GM...None.