Special Marine Warning Issued for Coastal Waters off Northeast Florida

Source: NOAA · Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia coastal waters

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NWS Jacksonville has issued a Special Marine Warning for coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL and adjacent zones until 12:15 AM EDT August 22.

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Record type
Special Marine Warning
Affected area
Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia coastal waters
Issued
August 22, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Jacksonville 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 the National Weather Service in Jacksonville FL. The alert is effective from 11:33 PM EDT on August 21, 2026, until 12:15 AM EDT on August 22, 2026.

Affected Areas

Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM; Waters from Altamaha Sound GA to Fernandina Beach FL from 20 to 60 NM; Waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL from 20 to 60 NM. Locations impacted include Tournament Reef, Casablanca Reef, Anna Reef, and Navy Drydock.

What You Should Do

Move to safe harbor until hazardous weather passes. If your vessel is caught offshore, immediately secure for heavy weather. Ensure all crew members are wearing USCG approved Type I life jackets and nonessential crew are below decks. Deploy jack lines and harnesses if available. Check life saving equipment, including batteries on handheld radios, for readiness.

Expected Conditions

At 11:33 PM EDT, strong thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 37 nm east of Talbot Island to 29 nm east of Atlantic Beach to 19 nm east of Palm Valley, moving east at 25 knots. Hazard includes wind gusts 34 knots or greater. Small craft could be damaged in briefly higher winds and suddenly higher waves.

Timeline

The warning is in effect from 11:33 PM EDT August 21 until 12:15 AM EDT August 22.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Nationwide notices with similar 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?
NWS Jacksonville has issued a Special Marine Warning for coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL and adjacent zones until 12:15 AM EDT August 22.
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 Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia coastal 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.