Special Marine Warning Issued for St. Andrews Bay and Coastal Florida Panhandle
This alert is no longer in effect.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 coastal waters from Okaloosa-Walton County Line to Mexico Beach due to potential waterspouts and high winds.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- Florida Panhandle 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 Panhandle Coastal Waters.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Tallahassee FL has issued a Special Marine Warning for the coastal waters of the Florida Panhandle. This alert is classified as a severe threat with immediate urgency, as radar indicates thunderstorms capable of producing hazardous conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions:
- St. Andrews Bay Waterways
- Coastal waters from Okaloosa-Walton County Line to Mexico Beach extending out 20 nautical miles.
Specific locations impacted by this storm system include Panama City Beach, Laguna Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Sandestin, and Miramar Beach.
What You Should Do
Mariners are urged to move to safe harbor immediately until the hazardous weather passes. All individuals on board vessels should be in a secure location and must wear life jackets. Waterspouts can form quickly and have the potential to capsize boats, damage vessels, and create suddenly higher waves.
Expected Conditions
According to radar data, thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts were located along a line moving east at 25 knots. Expected hazards include:
- Waterspouts: Potential for sudden formation and impact on vessels.
- Wind: Gusts of 34 knots or greater.
- Waves: Suddenly higher waves in the warning area.
- Additional Hazards: Frequent lightning and heavy downpours.
Timeline
The warning was issued at 6:33 AM CDT on March 8, 2026. The alert is effective immediately and is currently scheduled to expire at 8:30 AM CDT on March 8, 2026.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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