Special Marine Warning Issued for Tampa Bay and Florida Gulf 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This alert is no longer in effect.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).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Tampa Bay and surrounding coastal waters until 5:15 PM EST due to severe thunderstorms and potential waterspouts.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- Tampa Bay and West Central Florida Coastal Waters
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
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 Tampa Bay and West Central Florida Coastal Waters.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay Ruskin FL has issued a Special Marine Warning (SMW) effective immediately. The alert was issued at 4:11 PM EST on February 27, 2026, following radar detection of severe thunderstorms moving through the region.
Affected Areas
The warning encompasses the following geographic regions:
- Tampa Bay waters
- Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM
- Coastal waters from Englewood to Tarpon Springs FL out 20 NM
- Waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 to 60 NM
- Waters from Englewood to Tarpon Springs FL out 20 to 60 NM
Specific locations impacted include Clearwater Pass, Anclote Key, Clearwater Beach, Indian Shore Reef, Courtney Campbell Causeway, Indian Rocks Beach, Dunedin, Port Richey, and Tarpon Springs.
What You Should Do
Mariners are urged to move to safe harbor immediately and remain there until hazardous weather conditions pass. Thunderstorms can produce sudden waterspouts that can easily overturn boats and create locally hazardous seas. Ensure all individuals on board are wearing life jackets and are positioned in a secure location.
Expected Conditions
At 4:10 PM EST, severe thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts were located along a line extending from 24 nm west of Anclote Key to 26 nm west of Indian Rocks Beach to 43 nm west of Egmont Key. This line is moving northeast at 30 knots.
Primary hazards include:
- Waterspouts: Can quickly form and capsize boats or damage vessels.
- Wind: Gusts of 34 knots or greater.
- Seas: Suddenly higher waves.
- Additional Hazards: Frequent lightning and heavy downpours.
Timeline
The Special Marine Warning is effective from 4:11 PM EST and is currently scheduled to expire at 5:15 PM EST on February 27, 2026.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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