The Florida Flow - April 5th

Antoni Fronczak

Antoni Fronczak

— 6 min read

Daily ocean conditions for anyone on the water, Space Coast to Key Largo

Issue #20

SPECIAL MARINE STATEMENT -- NWS Miami A strong thunderstorm capable of producing winds to around 30 knots was located near Sand Cut, moving northwest at 25 knots. Affected area includes Lake Okeechobee waters. Mariners should seek safe harbor immediately until this storm passes. Expect gusty winds near 30 knots and locally higher waves.

Good morning from Space Coast to the Keys. Here is what the buoys are showing this Sunday, April 5. Off Space Coast, buoy 41009 (20 nm offshore) is reading seas of 5.9 ft with winds at 13.6 knots out of the southeast. Down on the Treasure Coast, buoy 41114 (6.5 nm offshore) shows 5.2 ft seas on a 7-second period with water at 75.7 degrees F. South Florida buoy 41122 (23 nm offshore) covers Deerfield through Miami with 4.3 ft seas on a 6-second period and water at 77.2 degrees F. Marathon is seeing 17.1 knots out of the east per buoy SMKF1, and Key West buoy 42095 (15 nm offshore) shows 2.6 ft seas on a 6-second period.

A special marine statement is in effect for the Lake Okeechobee waters. A strong thunderstorm capable of gusts near 30 knots is moving northwest at 25 knots from near Sand Cut. Outside of that cell, southeast winds are running 13-17 knots across the region. Seas are elevated offshore with short 6-7 second periods making for choppy conditions. Water temperatures are running 75-78 degrees F from the Treasure Coast through the Keys, favorable for warm-water species.

Blue Heron Bridge divers have a solid window today around the 11:06 AM low tide (2.3 ft), with the optimal window running from 10:36 AM to 11:36 AM. That is your primary window for today. A late-night window around 11:42 PM at 2.8 ft is fair but less ideal. Tomorrow the morning low hits at 11:45 AM (2.2 ft) with a window of 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM.

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
Cocoa Beach / Sebastian		 ROUGHOBSERVED Under 10 ftPREDICTED 5.9 ftOBSERVED 13.6 kt SEOBSERVED -- 41009
20 nm offshore
Treasure Coast
Vero / Ft Pierce		 CHOPPYOBSERVED 5-15 ftPREDICTED 5.2 ft, 7sOBSERVED -- 75.7 FOBSERVED 41114
6.5 nm offshore
Blue Heron Bridge
Palm Beach Shores		 CHOPPYOBSERVED Tidal 5-20 ftPREDICTED -- 15.0 kt ESEOBSERVED 77.7 FOBSERVED LKWF1
Lake Worth
Palm Beach / Singer Is. CHOPPYOBSERVED 5-15 ftPREDICTED -- 15.0 kt ESEOBSERVED 77.7 FOBSERVED LKWF1
Lake Worth
Deerfield / Pompano
Fort Lauderdale
Miami / Key Biscayne		 CHOPPYOBSERVED 5-15 ftPREDICTED 4.3 ft, 6sOBSERVED -- 77.2 FOBSERVED 41122
23 nm offshore
Key Largo / Upper Keys NO COVERAGE -- -- -- -- MLRF1 decommissioned Feb 2023. No replacement.
Marathon / Middle Keys CHOPPYOBSERVED 5-15 ftPREDICTED -- 17.1 kt EOBSERVED -- SMKF1
1 nm offshore
Key West / Lower Keys GOODOBSERVED 10-30 ftPREDICTED 2.6 ft, 6sOBSERVED -- 77.2 FOBSERVED 42095
15 nm offshore

Sources: Space Coast from NOAA buoy 41009 (20 nm offshore, NWS zone AMZ630). Treasure Coast from buoy 41114 (6.5 nm offshore, NWS zone AMZ636). Blue Heron Bridge and Palm Beach/Singer Is. from buoy LKWF1 (Lake Worth, inshore). South Florida (Deerfield through Miami) from buoy 41122 (23 nm offshore, NWS zone AMZ650/AMZ652). Key Largo/Upper Keys: buoy MLRF1 was decommissioned February 2023 with no replacement, Upper Keys has no buoy coverage. Marathon/Middle Keys from buoy SMKF1 (1 nm offshore, NWS zone AMZ670). Key West/Lower Keys from buoy 42095 (15 nm offshore, NWS zone AMZ678). BHB tide windows sourced from iDiveFlorida. UV index from Open-Meteo. Offshore buoy readings are not the same as nearshore conditions. Confirm with your captain.

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Activity Outlook

Activity Verdict Notes
🤿 Scuba CHOPPY Offshore seas are 4-6 ft with short 6-7 second periods from Space Coast through South Florida. Key West is the calmest option at 2.6 ft. BHB is viable during the 10:36-11:36 AM window at low tide. Upper Keys has no buoy coverage. Verify with your operator.
🏄 Surfing CHOPPY Space Coast showing 5.9 ft at 20 nm offshore with SE winds at 13.6 kt. Short 6-7 second periods mean choppy, disorganized surf. SE onshore wind will affect shape. Verify with your operator.
🚣 Kayak / SUP ROUGH ESE winds at 15-17 kt across Palm Beach and the Keys make open water paddling difficult. Stay in protected inlets and bays. A marine statement is active for Lake Okeechobee waters. Verify with your operator.
⛵ Boating / Fishing ROUGH A special marine statement is active. A thunderstorm capable of 30 kt gusts is moving through Lake Okeechobee waters. Seas are 4-6 ft at 23 nm offshore from South Florida. Port Everglades current is light at 0.25 kt NNW. Verify with your operator.
🏖️ Beach MARGINAL UV index is 8 (Very High, UV Alert) today. Water temps are 76-78 F from the Treasure Coast through the Keys. ESE winds at 15 kt will create a breezy, choppy shoreline. Sunscreen and eye protection essential. Verify with your operator.

Blue Heron Bridge Dive Windows

Today, Sunday April 5 OPTIMAL: Low tide 11:06 AM at 2.3 ft. Window: 10:36 AM to 11:36 AM. Best window of the day. Plan your entry around 10:45-11:00 AM.
FAIR: Low tide 11:42 PM at 2.8 ft. Window: 11:12 PM to 12:12 AM. Night dive. Higher tide makes this window less ideal, but doable with proper lighting.

Tomorrow, Monday April 6 OPTIMAL: Low tide 11:45 AM at 2.2 ft. Window: 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM. Strong morning window.

BHB dive windows based on tidal data from iDiveFlorida. Visibility at BHB is tidal, rated 5-20 ft. Wind is 15 kt ESE today per buoy LKWF1. Confirm site conditions before entering.

Marine Life Sightings

Operator-Confirmed Reports Narcosis Dive, West Palm Beach (April 1, 2026): Viz 50-60 ft, water 77 F, 3-4 ft waves, trickle current to the north. Sightings included tropical fish, a hawksbill turtle, green morays, a spotted moray, corals, and sponges.

Rainbow Reef, Key Largo: Scheduled for Sunday. No conditions report received for today. Check directly with Rainbow Reef before heading out.

All sightings are operator-confirmed. Conditions change. Verify with your operator before diving.

Week Outlook

Sunday 4/5 🔴: Special marine statement active for Lake Okeechobee waters. Strong thunderstorm capable of 30 kt gusts near Sand Cut, moving northwest at 25 kt. Seas 4.3-5.9 ft offshore. SE winds 13-17 kt. Choppy to rough offshore. Key West is the calmest area at 2.6 ft.
Monday 4/6 🟡: No NWS advisory data for Monday in the provided forecast. Continue monitoring for updates. BHB window 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM at 2.2 ft low.
Tuesday 4/7 through Saturday 4/11 🟡: Extended forecast data not provided. Check thefloridaflow.com for daily updates as new NWS forecasts are issued.

Offshore heights from buoys 20-60 nm. Nearshore smaller. Check with your operator before heading out.

Safety Tip

Marine Thunderstorms Move Fast A thunderstorm capable of 30-knot gusts was moving northwest at 25 knots near Sand Cut as of the afternoon NWS statement. At that speed, a storm can close 10 nautical miles in under 25 minutes. If you see a cell building, do not wait for it to get closer before seeking shelter. Today's UV index is also at 8 (Very High, UV Alert). With ESE winds at 15-17 kt and a breezy day on the water, UV exposure time decreases without you realizing it. Apply SPF 50 or higher, wear a rash guard, and reapply every 90 minutes.

Sun and UV

Sunrise Morning Golden Hour Evening Golden Hour Sunset UV Index
7:12 AM 7:12 AM to 7:57 AM 6:49 PM to 7:34 PM 7:34 PM 8 -- Very High (UV Alert)
Tomorrow: 8 -- Very High
Know someone on the water? Forward this to a diver, angler, or anyone Space Coast to Keys. The Florida Flow is free every morning, no sign-up friction, no ads. Just the conditions they need before they launch.

The Florida Flow aggregates NOAA buoy data, NWS marine forecasts, and operator reports. Offshore heights sourced from buoys 20-60 nm from shore. Nearshore and inshore conditions vary and may differ significantly from offshore readings. UV index from Open-Meteo. BHB tide windows from iDiveFlorida. Nothing here constitutes a guarantee of conditions. Confirm all data with your captain or dive operator before heading out. Use at your own risk.

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