Special Marine Warning Issued for Florida Panhandle Coastal Waters Until 4:15 AM EDT
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 5, 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 coastal and offshore waters near Apalachicola and Mexico Beach due to a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- Florida Panhandle Coastal Waters
- Issued
- April 5, 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 Panhandle Coastal Waters.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Tallahassee FL has issued a Special Marine Warning (SMW) for several coastal and offshore zones in the Florida Panhandle. This alert is effective immediately following the detection of a severe thunderstorm capable of producing hazardous marine conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions:
- Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola FL out 20 NM
- Coastal Waters from Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 NM
- Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM
- Waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM
Specific locations impacted include S Tower and V Tower.
Expected Conditions
At 2:13 AM EDT, radar indicated a severe thunderstorm located 17 nm southeast of S Tower, moving northeast at 20 knots. Mariners should prepare for the following hazards:
- Waterspouts: These can form quickly, capsizing boats and creating suddenly higher waves.
- Wind: Gusts of 34 knots or greater.
- Hail: Small hail is possible.
- Additional Hazards: Frequent lightning and heavy downpours.
What You Should Do
Residents and mariners in the warning area should take the following precautions immediately:
- Seek Safe Harbor: Move to a safe harbor immediately as gusty winds and high waves are expected.
- Safety Gear: Ensure all persons on board are wearing life jackets and are in a secure location.
- Lightning Safety: If caught on open water, stay below deck if possible and keep away from ungrounded metal objects.
Timeline
The alert was issued at 2:13 AM EDT on March 16 and is scheduled to remain in effect until 4:15 AM EDT (3:15 AM CDT).
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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