Special Marine Warning Issued for Florida Coastal Waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Florida's coastal waters until 4:30 PM EST due to severe thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts and high winds.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- Florida Gulf Coast
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Tampa Bay Ruskin
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: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Florida Gulf Coast.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay Ruskin FL has issued a Special Marine Warning (Alert Level: Severe). The warning is effective immediately for coastal and offshore waters along the Florida Gulf Coast.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following maritime regions:
- Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out to 20 nautical miles.
- Waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL from 20 to 60 nautical miles offshore.
Impacted land-adjacent locations include Ozello, Crystal River, Cedar Key, and Yankeetown.
What You Should Do
Mariners are advised to move to safe harbor immediately until the hazardous weather passes. Ensure that all persons on board are in a secure location and are wearing life jackets. Waterspouts can form quickly and have the potential to capsize boats and damage vessels.
Expected Conditions
At 3:01 PM EST, radar indicated severe thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts along a line extending from near Suwannee River to 59 nm south of S Tower. This line of storms is moving east at 40 knots.
Primary hazards include:
- Waterspouts: Capable of creating suddenly higher waves and damaging vessels.
- Wind: Gusts of 34 knots or greater.
- Additional Hazards: Frequent lightning and heavy downpours.
Timeline
- Effective Time: 3:02 PM EST, February 15, 2026
- Expiration Time: 4:30 PM EST, February 15, 2026
Additionally, a Tornado Watch remains in effect for northern Florida until 8:00 PM EST.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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