Special Marine Warning Issued for Lake Okeechobee Through 5:00 PM EST

Source: NOAA · Lake Okeechobee

This alert is no longer in effect.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 Lake Okeechobee as a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts moves through the area.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Special Marine Warning
Affected area
Lake Okeechobee
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Miami

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 Lake Okeechobee.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Miami has issued a Special Marine Warning for Lake Okeechobee. The alert was issued at 4:28 PM EST following radar detection of a severe thunderstorm in the region.

Affected Areas

The primary geographic area under this warning is Lake Okeechobee. At the time of the alert, the storm was located near Buckhead Ridge.

What You Should Do

Boaters and residents in the affected area should move to safe harbor immediately until the hazardous weather passes. Thunderstorms can produce sudden waterspouts that can easily overturn boats and create dangerous local sea conditions. Severe weather should be reported to the Coast Guard or the National Weather Service. Reports can also be shared with NWS Miami on Facebook and Twitter.

Expected Conditions

According to radar tracking, the storm is capable of producing the following hazards:

  • Waterspouts
  • Wind gusts of 34 knots or greater
  • Small hail

The storm was last located near Buckhead Ridge, moving southeast at approximately 30 knots. Waterspouts can create locally hazardous seas and damage small craft with little warning.

Timeline

The warning is effective immediately as of 4:28 PM EST on February 28, 2026, and is scheduled to remain in effect until 5:00 PM EST.

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 Lake Okeechobee as a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts moves through the area.
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 Lake Okeechobee. 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.