Cold Front Monday — Enjoy the Clean Weekend While It Lasts | The Florida Flow
Seas 2–3 ft offshore this morning with a calm Saturday ahead — but a cold front hits Monday with 19 kt winds, gusts to 25 kt, and 15.5 mm of rain. BHB morning windows are Good today and Saturday. Here's what's worth getting in the water for before conditions turn.
Buoys up and down the coast are reading calm to good this morning. The Space Coast buoy (41009, 20nm offshore) shows 3.0ft seas at a long 10-second period with 11.7kt SSE winds. The Treasure Coast buoy (41114, 6.5nm offshore) is logging 2.6ft at 9 seconds and water at 77.4F. South Florida buoys from Deerfield to Key West (41122 and 42095, both 15-23nm offshore) are sitting at 2.3ft with a short 5-second period. Nearshore conditions will be smaller than these offshore readings.
The NWS marine forecast for Jupiter Inlet to Deerfield Beach calls for east winds 10 to 15kt today with seas around 2ft, east waves at 4 seconds, and a moderate chop on the Intracoastal. A slight chance of showers is possible this morning. Saturday eases to 5 to 10kt with similar seas. The bigger story is Monday, when a cold front could bring breezy and potentially hazardous conditions with winds reaching 19kt, gusts to 25kt, and over 15mm of rain in the forecast. The NWS synopsis flags that period as one to watch.
At Blue Heron Bridge today, the morning high tide window is 8:08 AM to 9:08 AM on a 2.8ft tide, rated good. The evening window runs 8:46 PM to 9:46 PM on a stronger 3.4ft tide, rated fair. Wind at the LKWF1 buoy is 9.9kt east and water temperature is 77.9F. The Gulf Stream's west wall is currently sitting about 3 nautical miles east-northeast of Lake Worth.
Check live conditions at thefloridaflow.com — buoys, tides, dive windows, UV. Updated hourly.
Regional Conditions
| Region | Conditions | Vis | Seas | Wind | Water Temp | Buoy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Coast | Marginal | 10-30ft 10s period reduces vis one tier PREDICTED |
3.0ft @ 10s OBSERVED | 11.7kt SSE OBSERVED | N/A | 41009 (20nm offshore) |
| Treasure Coast | Marginal | 10-30ft 9s period reduces vis one tier PREDICTED |
2.6ft @ 9s OBSERVED | N/A | 77.4F OBSERVED | 41114 (6.5nm offshore) |
| Palm Beach / BHB | Good | Tidal 5-20ft PREDICTED | Tidal | 9.9kt E OBSERVED | 77.9F OBSERVED | LKWF1 (inshore) |
| Deerfield / Pompano | Good | 20-50ft 5s period, surface chop, bottom less affected PREDICTED |
2.3ft @ 5s OBSERVED | N/A | 78.4F OBSERVED | 41122 (23nm offshore) |
| Fort Lauderdale | Good | 20-50ft 5s period, surface chop, bottom less affected PREDICTED |
2.3ft @ 5s OBSERVED | N/A | 78.4F OBSERVED | 41122 (23nm offshore) |
| Miami / Key Biscayne | Good | 20-50ft 5s period, surface chop, bottom less affected PREDICTED |
2.3ft @ 5s OBSERVED | N/A | 78.4F OBSERVED | 41122 (23nm offshore) |
| Key Largo / Upper Keys | No Coverage | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | MLRF1 decommissioned Feb 2023, no replacement |
| Key West / Lower Keys | Good | 20-50ft 5s period, surface chop, bottom less affected PREDICTED |
2.3ft @ 5s OBSERVED | N/A | 78.4F OBSERVED | 42095 (15nm offshore) |
Sources: Space Coast via NDBC 41009 (20nm offshore). Treasure Coast via NDBC 41114 (6.5nm offshore). South Florida (Deerfield to Key West) via NDBC 41122 (23nm offshore) and NDBC 42095 (15nm offshore). Palm Beach and BHB wind and water temp via NOAA LKWF1 (inshore). Marathon via NOAA SMKF1 (1nm offshore). NWS zone AMZ650/670 marine forecast. BHB tide windows via iDiveFlorida. UV index via Open-Meteo. Offshore buoy readings are not the same as nearshore. Confirm with your captain.
Activity Conditions
| Activity | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🤿 Scuba | Marginal | North end seas are 2.6-3.0ft on long-period swell (9-10s), which reaches the bottom and reduces visibility more than short chop of the same height. Predicted vis 10-30ft north. South Florida sits at 2.3ft with a short 5-second period, so bottom vis is less affected, predicted 20-50ft. BHB windows this morning are the cleanest option today. Narcosis Dive reported 30-40ft vis on April 15. Always verify with your operator. |
| 🏄 Surfing | Marginal | East winds at 10-15kt are side-onshore, capping conditions at Marginal. Seas are 2-3ft offshore with swell period of 9-10s on the Space Coast, which gives some shape, but the onshore wind component will reduce quality. South Florida is shorter period and smaller. Verify with your operator. |
| 🚣 Kayak / SUP | Good | Intracoastal and protected waters are the call today. NWS notes a moderate chop on the Intracoastal, so stay sheltered. Open water paddling at 2-3ft offshore is manageable for experienced paddlers but choppy for beginners. Verify with your operator. |
| ⛵ Boating / Fishing | Good | East winds 10-15kt and 2ft seas offshore make for a manageable day on the water. Gulf Stream hazards are listed as none. No current advisories. Plan to be back in before Monday when conditions could deteriorate significantly. Verify with your captain. |
| 🏖️ Beach | Good | Water temps in the upper 70s, mild seas nearshore, and a slight shower chance this morning only. UV Index is 9 (Very High) so bring reef-safe sunscreen. Conditions change, always check posted flags on arrival. |
🏖️ Weekend Beach Report
Water Temperature: Around 77-78F, comfortable for swimming and wading.
Sea State: Mild chop today, easing to calmer conditions Saturday morning.
Rip Current Risk: Elevated. Offshore buoys are reading 2.6-3.0ft seas on long 9-10 second swell that can push strong rip currents even when the beach looks calm. Swim near a lifeguard stand.
Flag Estimate: Expect yellow flags (estimate based on NOAA data, check posted flags on arrival).
Best Window: Saturday morning looks cleaner than today with winds easing to 5-10kt. If you have flexibility, Saturday before noon is the pick of the weekend.
Conditions change, always check posted flags and swim near a lifeguard.
Blue Heron Bridge Dive Windows
Today, Friday April 17
Morning high: 2.8ft at 8:38 AM. Good window 8:08 AM to 9:08 AM.
Evening high: 3.4ft at 9:16 PM. Fair window 8:46 PM to 9:46 PM.
Tomorrow, Saturday April 18
Morning high: 2.8ft at 9:25 AM. Good window 8:55 AM to 9:55 AM.
Evening high: 3.4ft at 10:06 PM. Fair window 9:36 PM to 10:36 PM.
Wind at LKWF1 is 9.9kt E. Water temperature 77.9F. Visibility at BHB is tidal-driven and typically 5-20ft. Confirm conditions before entering. BHB window data sourced from iDiveFlorida.
Marine Life Sightings
Narcosis Dive, West Palm Beach (April 15, 2026): Visibility 30-40ft, water 76F, mild north current, waves 2-3ft. Sightings: two lemon sharks, a large loggerhead turtle, a green moray, and lots of tropical fish.
Rainbow Reef, Key Largo (April 16, 2026): The report received from Rainbow Reef contains corrupted formatting and could not be parsed. No reliable conditions or sightings data is available from this operator for today's issue.
7-Day Outlook
Fri Apr 17 🟡: Rain possible, east winds up to 9kt with gusts to 12kt. 7% precip chance, 1.8mm forecast. Seas around 2ft nearshore, 2.6-3.0ft offshore.
Sat Apr 18 🟢: Partly cloudy, winds ease to 5-10kt with gusts to 14kt. Seas around 2ft. Best day of the weekend. 2% precip chance.
Sun Apr 19 🟡: Drizzle possible, winds up to 12kt with gusts only 11kt. 4% precip chance, 0.4mm. Seas holding around 2ft.
Mon Apr 20 🔴: Cold front approaches. Rain showers, winds building to 19kt with gusts to 25kt. 26% precip chance and 15.5mm of rain forecast. Conditions deteriorate, plan accordingly.
Tue Apr 21 🟡: Drizzle lingers post-front, winds 17kt with gusts to 23kt. 17% precip chance, 0.6mm. NWS flags this as a period of breezy and potentially hazardous conditions.
Offshore heights from buoys 20-60nm. Nearshore smaller. Cold front timing may shift. Check with your operator before heading out Monday or Tuesday.
Safety Tip
Cold Front Window: Go Now, Not Monday
A cold front is forecast to arrive Monday with winds building to 19kt and gusts to 25kt, plus over 15mm of rain. Conditions like this can develop quickly and create hazardous seas that are much rougher nearshore than offshore buoys suggest.
If you have a trip planned for early next week, keep a close eye on updated NWS forecasts Saturday and Sunday, and have a turn-back plan before you leave the dock. The window to go is this weekend, not Monday.
Sun and UV
| Sunrise | Morning Golden Hour | Evening Golden Hour | Sunset | UV Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:59 AM | 6:59 AM to 7:44 AM | 6:55 PM to 7:40 PM | 7:40 PM | 9 - Very High (UV Alert) |
Quick Poll
With a cold front coming Monday, what are you doing this weekend?
A. Getting on the water Saturday before it hits
B. Sitting this one out, too much going on
C. Waiting to see what the front actually does before deciding
D. Heading to BHB for the morning window today
Tap to reply. We read every response.
The Florida Flow aggregates NOAA buoy data, NWS marine forecasts, and operator reports. Offshore buoy heights are measured 6 to 23 nautical miles from shore and will differ from nearshore conditions. Nearshore seas are typically smaller. Visibility estimates are model-predicted unless an operator report confirms otherwise. Cold front timing and intensity may change. Confirm all conditions with your captain or dive operator before heading out. Use at your own risk.