Special Marine Warning Issued for Florida Coastal Waters Near Suwannee River and Keaton Beach

Source: NOAA · Florida Coastal Waters

This alert is no longer in effect.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).

Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Florida coastal waters until 11:45 AM EDT due to wind gusts exceeding 34 knots and high waves.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Special Marine Warning
Affected area
Florida Coastal Waters
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Tallahassee

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 Coastal Waters.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee FL has issued a Special Marine Warning (SMWTAE) for coastal waters along the Florida panhandle and Big Bend region. The alert was issued on March 12 at 10:17 AM EDT following radar-indicated showers moving through the area.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following marine zones:

  • Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM
  • Waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM
  • Specific locations impacted include Horseshoe Beach.

What You Should Do

Mariners are advised to move to safe harbor immediately as gusty winds and high waves are expected. All individuals on board vessels should ensure they are wearing life jackets to prepare for suddenly hazardous conditions.

Expected Conditions

According to the NWS, radar indicated a line of showers extending from 24 nm east of Buckeye Reef to 46 nm south of C Tower, moving southeast at 20 knots. Hazards associated with this system include:

  • Wind gusts of 34 knots or greater
  • Suddenly higher waves
  • Frequent lightning
  • Heavy downpours

Timeline

The warning is effective immediately as of 10:17 AM EDT on March 12, 2026. The alert is currently scheduled to expire at 11:45 AM EDT.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Florida coastal waters until 11:45 AM EDT due to wind gusts exceeding 34 knots and high waves.
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 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.