Special Marine Warning: South Florida Ocean Conditions – Tuesday April 14, 2026 | The Florida Flow
Special Marine Warning in effect until 6:15 PM EDT — waterspouts and 50-kt gusts from Jupiter to Ocean Reef. Buoys: 4.6 ft at 9s. BHB morning window fair. Wed–Sat conditions improve significantly.
A Special Marine Warning is the headline for Tuesday afternoon. NWS issued the warning after radar detected showers capable of producing waterspouts near Hillsboro Beach, moving south at 20 knots, with wind gusts to nearly 50 knots possible. The warning covers coastal and offshore waters from Jupiter Inlet south to Ocean Reef out to 60 nm and remains in effect until 6:15 PM EDT. If you are on the water anywhere from Palm Beach County south through Miami, treat this as a hard stop and return to port or stay put until the warning expires and you can confirm conditions have cleared.
Outside the warning window, buoy observations paint a choppy but not extreme picture. The offshore buoy 41009, sitting 20 nm off the Space Coast, is reading 4.6 ft seas at a 9-second period with easterly winds near 10 knots. Buoy 41114 (6.5 nm off the Treasure Coast near Vero/Ft. Pierce) confirms 4.6 ft at 9 seconds with water at 76.6 degrees F. Buoy LKWF1 at Blue Heron Bridge and Singer Island shows 15 knots out of the east and 76.8 degrees F water. Farther south, buoy 41122 (23 nm off Deerfield through Miami) shows 4.6 ft seas at a shorter 6-second period and 78.3 degrees F. Key West buoy 42095 (15 nm offshore) reads 3.0 ft at 6 seconds. Marathon buoy SMKF1 (1 nm offshore) shows 17 knots ENE. The long 9-second period on the Space and Treasure Coast means those swells are penetrating to the bottom and stirring sediment more than the wave height alone suggests. Nearshore conditions will be smaller than offshore buoy readings, but the active wind and residual swell will keep things choppy close to shore as well.
Blue Heron Bridge tides today offer two windows around slack water: a morning window from 5:54 AM to 6:54 AM centered on a 2.6 ft high at 6:24 AM, rated fair, and an evening window from 6:21 PM to 7:21 PM centered on a 2.8 ft high at 6:51 PM, also rated fair. The evening window overlaps with the tail end of the Special Marine Warning, so conditions in the channel should be watched closely before committing to an evening entry. Tomorrow's windows shift later: 6:39 AM to 7:39 AM in the morning (2.7 ft high, fair) and 7:09 PM to 8:09 PM in the evening (3.0 ft high, fair).
Check live conditions at thefloridaflow.com — buoys, tides, dive windows, UV. Updated hourly.
Regional Conditions
| Region | Conditions | Vis (est.) | Seas | Wind | Water Temp | Buoy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Coast (Cocoa/Sebastian) | Choppy | 10-25 ftPREDICTED | 4.6 ft, 9sOBSERVED | 9.7 kt EOBSERVED | N/A | 41009 (20 nm) |
| Treasure Coast (Vero/Ft. Pierce) | Choppy | 10-25 ftPREDICTED | 4.6 ft, 9sOBSERVED | N/A | 76.6°FOBSERVED | 41114 (6.5 nm) |
| Blue Heron Bridge / Singer Is. | Choppy / Active SMW | Tidal 5-20 ftPREDICTED | N/A (inshore) | 15.0 kt EOBSERVED | 76.8°FOBSERVED | LKWF1 (inshore) |
| Deerfield / Pompano | Active SMW | 5-15 ftPREDICTED | 4.6 ft, 6sOBSERVED | N/A | 78.3°FOBSERVED | 41122 (23 nm) |
| Fort Lauderdale | Active SMW | 5-15 ftPREDICTED | 4.6 ft, 6sOBSERVED | N/A | 78.3°FOBSERVED | 41122 (23 nm) |
| Miami / Key Biscayne | Active SMW | 5-15 ftPREDICTED | 4.6 ft, 6sOBSERVED | N/A | 78.3°FOBSERVED | 41122 (23 nm) |
| Key Largo / Upper Keys | No Coverage | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | MLRF1 decommissioned Feb 2023, no replacement |
| Marathon / Middle Keys | Choppy | 10-20 ftPREDICTED | N/A (wind only) | 17.1 kt ENEOBSERVED | N/A | SMKF1 (1 nm) |
Sources: Space Coast seas from buoy 41009 (20 nm offshore). Treasure Coast seas from buoy 41114 (6.5 nm offshore). Blue Heron Bridge and Singer Island wind and water temp from buoy LKWF1 (inshore). Deerfield/Pompano, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami seas from buoy 41122 (23 nm offshore). Key West seas from buoy 42095 (15 nm offshore). Marathon wind from buoy SMKF1 (1 nm offshore). Key Largo has no active buoy (MLRF1 decommissioned Feb 2023). NWS Special Marine Warning: zones Jupiter Inlet to Ocean Reef, 0-60 nm. BHB tide windows from iDiveFlorida. UV index from Open-Meteo. Offshore buoy readings are not nearshore. Confirm with your captain.
Activity Planner
| Activity | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🤿 Scuba | Marginal / Hold | Offshore seas 4.6 ft at 9-second period are stirring bottom sediment and reducing vis to an estimated 10-25 ft. The active Special Marine Warning covers most dive areas south of Jupiter. BHB morning window (5:54-6:54 AM) was the cleanest option today. Evening window overlaps the SMW. Confirm conditions have cleared before any water entry. Always verify with your operator. |
| 🏄 Surfing | Marginal | 4.6 ft at 9 seconds offers rideable swell, but easterly winds at 10-17 knots are onshore, creating messy, textured faces. Side-onshore 15+ knots caps conditions at Marginal. Early morning before winds build gives the cleanest windows. Verify with your operator. |
| 🚣 Kayak / SUP | Not Recommended | Easterly winds 15-17 knots and an active Special Marine Warning with gusts to near 50 knots make open water and inlet areas unsafe for kayaks and SUPs this afternoon. Sheltered inshore areas only. Verify with your operator. |
| ⛵ Boating / Fishing | Dangerous / Stay In | Special Marine Warning in effect until 6:15 PM EDT with waterspouts and gusts to nearly 50 knots reported from Jupiter to Ocean Reef out to 60 nm. No recreational boats should be offshore. Return to port or stay docked until the warning expires and you can visually confirm clearing conditions. Verify with your operator. |
| 🏖️ Beach | Use Caution | 4+ ft seas and 15+ kt onshore winds elevate rip current risk. Swimming is not advised during the active marine warning window. Once the warning expires, conditions may allow wading or shoreline activity, but check posted flags. Verify with your operator. |
🏖️ Weekend Beach Report
Water temp: 76-78°F, comfortable and warm for mid-April.
Sea state: Mild to moderate chop through Tuesday, improving to mild chop by Wednesday and flattening toward the weekend.
Rip current risk: ELEVATED today. Seas are 4+ ft with onshore easterly winds over 15 knots. Swim near a lifeguard stand.
Flag estimate: Expect red flags today (estimate based on NOAA data, check posted flags on arrival). By Thursday and through the weekend, winds ease to 10 knots and seas settle, likely dropping to yellow or green flags.
Best window: Morning hours before the sea breeze builds will be calmer than afternoon for the rest of this week.
Conditions change, always check posted flags and swim near a lifeguard.
Blue Heron Bridge Dive Windows
Today, Tuesday April 14:
Morning: High tide 6:24 AM (2.6 ft). Window 5:54 AM to 6:54 AM. Quality: Fair.
Evening: High tide 6:51 PM (2.8 ft). Window 6:21 PM to 7:21 PM. Quality: Fair. Note: this window overlaps with the active Special Marine Warning (expires 6:15 PM EDT). Confirm conditions have fully cleared before entering the water.
Tomorrow, Wednesday April 15:
Morning: High tide 7:09 AM (2.7 ft). Window 6:39 AM to 7:39 AM. Quality: Fair.
Evening: High tide 7:39 PM (3.0 ft). Window 7:09 PM to 8:09 PM. Quality: Fair. Tomorrow's afternoon outlook is partly cloudy with winds dropping to 12 knots max, making the evening window more reliable than today's.
Marine Life Sightings
Narcosis Dive (West Palm Beach), April 6, 2026: Visibility 50 ft. Water 76°F. Currents a trickle from the north. Waves 1-2 ft. Operator report: "Saw a baby hammerhead, a couple eels, a Goliath grouper and lots of tropical fish and pretty sponges and corals!" Operator-confirmed.
Rainbow Reef (Key Largo): No conditions report available for today. Check directly with Rainbow Reef for current dive conditions.
7-Day Outlook
Tue Apr 14 (Today) 🔴: Special Marine Warning in effect until 6:15 PM. Waterspouts and gusts to 50 knots possible. Rain, wind max 14 kt, gusts 19 kt, 1.4 mm rain. Stay off the water.
Wed Apr 15 🟢: Partly cloudy. Wind drops to 12 kt max, gusts 16 kt, 0 mm rain. Conditions improve significantly. Good day to reschedule a dive or short offshore trip.
Thu Apr 16 🟢: Partly cloudy. Wind eases further to 10 kt max, gusts 13 kt, 0 mm rain. Calmest day of the stretch. Excellent window for diving, snorkeling, or nearshore fishing.
Fri Apr 17 🟢: Partly cloudy. Wind 10 kt max, gusts 14 kt, trace precip. Another calm, workable day on the water.
Sat Apr 18 🟢: Partly cloudy. Wind 10 kt max, gusts 13 kt, 3% precip chance, 0 mm rain. Light weekend conditions. Good for beach, paddling, and calm-water dives.
Offshore heights from buoys 20-60 nm. Nearshore smaller. Check with your operator before heading out.
Safety Tip
Waterspout Awareness: Know When to Get Off the Water.
Today's Special Marine Warning was triggered by radar-detected waterspouts near Hillsboro Beach moving south at 20 knots. Waterspouts can develop and intensify in minutes with little visual warning from the surface, and the associated wind gusts can reach 50 knots within a very small area. If you see a rotating column of air or water over the ocean, treat it as a tornado and get to shore immediately.
Before any offshore trip, check the NWS marine forecast and active warnings at weather.gov. A Special Marine Warning is not a routine advisory. It means leave now or stay in.
Sun and UV
| Sunrise | Morning Golden Hour | Evening Golden Hour | Sunset | UV Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:02 AM | 7:02 AM to 7:47 AM | 6:53 PM to 7:38 PM | 7:38 PM | 8 (Very High, UV Alert) |
UV 8 is Very High. Apply SPF 30 or higher, reapply every 90 minutes, and seek shade between 10 AM and 2 PM. UV rises to 9 tomorrow.
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The Florida Flow aggregates NOAA, NWS, and buoy data for informational purposes only. Offshore heights from buoys 20-60 nm. Nearshore conditions vary and will typically be smaller. Special Marine Warnings are issued by NWS and reflect rapidly changing conditions. Confirm all conditions with your captain or dive operator before heading out. Use at your own risk.