Special Marine Warning for Waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL

Source: NOAA · Florida Gulf Coast Waters

If you are in immediate danger, call emergency services now.

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A Special Marine Warning is in effect for waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM due to strong thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts.

The weather record, at a glance

Record type
Special Marine Warning
Affected area
Florida Gulf Coast Waters
Issued
September 20, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Tallahassee FL

Marine notices apply to named waters or shoreline zones. They may not describe conditions on land, even when the nearest place name is the same.

Record status: publication date is recent, but current status is not stored on this page. Check the issuing agency's live warning service before acting because warnings can be updated, narrowed, or cancelled.

Alert Details

A Special Marine Warning has been issued by NWS Tallahassee FL. The alert is effective from 2026-09-20T09:44:00-04:00 until 2026-09-20T11:15:00-04:00.

Affected Areas

Waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM. At 944 AM EDT, strong thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 20 nm south of S Tower to 15 nm south of V Tower to 29 nm south of Buckeye Reef.

What You Should Do

Move to safe harbor until hazardous weather passes. Seek safe harbor immediately. Make sure all on board are in a secure location and wearing life jackets. If caught on the open water stay below deck if possible, keep away from ungrounded metal objects.

Expected Conditions

Strong thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts. Hazard includes waterspouts and wind gusts 34 knots or greater. Expect wind gusts in excess of 34 knots, suddenly higher waves, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours.

Timeline

The warning is effective from 9:44 AM EDT until 11:15 AM EDT on September 20, 2026. The storms are moving southwest at 10 knots and will remain over mainly open waters.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Similar notices nationwide by length or severity timing 8

Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this NWS weather alert: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
A Special Marine Warning is in effect for waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM due to strong thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Florida Gulf Coast Waters. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.