Saturday, March 21, 2026
⚠️ Small Craft Advisory expired at 8 AM this morning. Conditions improving through the day. Rip current risk remains elevated on Atlantic beaches through Sunday evening.
🌊 THE TURN HAS ARRIVED. Winds dropped overnight. BHB dark green this morning. Sunday through Tuesday are the cleanest days of the month. Plan accordingly.
Conditions Headline
Six days of NE wind and elevated seas and it is finally over. The Small Craft Advisory expired at 8 AM this morning. LKWF1 at Lake Worth woke up reading NW 5 kt, down from 21 kt yesterday. Buoy 41122 offshore Fort Lauderdale dropped to 2.6 ft overnight. The pattern has broken.
BHB high tide is 10:35 AM today, rated dark green by iDiveFlorida. Best BHB window of the week. Enter around 9:50 AM, exit by 11:20 AM. Buoy 41114 offshore Jupiter is still reading 5.6 ft at 9 sec but that is residual swell from the past week and will drop through the day as winds stay light.
Captain Hook's Key Largo is forecasting NNE 10–15 kt and 2–3 ft seas today, dropping to NE 5–10 kt and 1–2 ft tonight. Looe Key confirmed yesterday: ENE 16–18 mph, 2 ft seas, 30 ft vis, 76°F. No Rainbow Reef reports in the last 48 hours due to weather but conditions are improving fast. Sunday through Tuesday Captain Hook's shows variable winds around 5 kt and seas around 1 ft. That is about as clean as it gets in South Florida.
Daily Data
Visibility methodology: Offshore sites baseline 40–80 ft vis, penalized for seas and wave period. Inshore sites baseline 20–50 ft. Key Largo: operator report used directly when available. Buoy readings are from offshore stations 20–60 nm from shore. Nearshore conditions vary.
Region | Conditions Rating | Vis | Temp | Seas | Wind / Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jupiter / Tequesta | 🟡 Marginal | ~25–40 ft | 70°F | 5.6 ft / 9 sec | N 10–15 kt, easing through day |
Blue Heron Bridge | 🟢 Good | ~20–35 ft | ~75°F | Protected | High tide: 10:35 AM ⭐ Dark Green |
Palm Beach / Singer Is. | 🟡 Marginal | ~25–40 ft | 75°F | 3–5 ft / 7 sec | N 10–15 kt |
Deerfield / Pompano | 🟡 Marginal | ~25–40 ft | ~75°F | 3–5 ft / 7 sec | N 10–15 kt |
Fort Lauderdale | 🟢 Good | ~30–45 ft | 76°F | 2.6 ft / 5 sec | N 5–10 kt |
Miami / Key Biscayne | 🟢 Good | ~30–45 ft | ~76°F | 2–4 ft / 7 sec | N 10–15 kt |
Key Largo / Upper Keys | 🟢 Good | ~30 ft (P) | 76°F | 2–3 ft Hawk Ch. | NNE 10–15 kt. Improving PM. |
Sources: NOAA AMZ650 issued 4:57 AM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026 (Small Craft Advisory expired Sat 8 AM EDT). Buoy 41114 offshore Jupiter, observed 08:56 UTC today. Buoy 41122 Hollywood, observed 09:00 UTC today. Buoy LKWF1 Lake Worth Pier, observed 08:48 UTC today. Captain Hook's Key Largo forecast, Mar 21 2026. Looe Key confirmed conditions Mar 20 2026. Rainbow Reef: no reports last 48 hours due to weather. BHB tides: iDiveFlorida Phil Foster Park Mar 21 2026. Vis predicted from sea state and wave period model except where noted.
Today on the Water — By Activity
Activity | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
🤿 Scuba Diving | 🟢 Good | BHB dark green, window 9:50–11:20 AM. Offshore marginal but improving. Key Largo 2–3 ft seas, diveable for experienced. Sunday is better for offshore. |
🏄 Surfing | 🟢 Good | 3–5 ft NE swell at 9 sec with light offshore winds. Best surf South Florida has seen in weeks. Jupiter Inlet 2–4 ft sets. Melbourne Beach pumping. |
🚣 Kayak / SUP | 🟢 Good | Winds dropped to 5 kt. Protected waters, ICW, and inshore all good. Open ocean has residual swell but manageable. Flat by Sunday. |
⛵ Boating / Fishing | 🟢 Good | Small Craft Advisory expired 8 AM. Inshore and nearshore fishing excellent. Offshore residual swell from Jupiter, better south. Sunday fully clean offshore. |
🏖️ Beach / Swimming | 🟡 Use Caution | Rip current risk still elevated through Sunday evening. Safe to swim but stay aware. Conditions much improved from yesterday. |
🌊 Weekend and Week Ahead Today: BHB dark green this morning. Offshore marginal but improving through the day.
Tonight: NE 5–10 kt, seas 2–4 ft. Key Largo 1–2 ft.
Sunday: W 5 kt, seas 2–3 ft coastwide. Captain Hook's showing 1 ft around Key Largo. Best day on the water since before the front.
Monday and Tuesday: Variable 5 kt, seas around 1–2 ft. Clean stretch of 3+ days. Best window of the month so far.
Marine Life Sighting Alert
🟡 Most recent confirmed: Looe Key, March 20
New source added today: Captain Hook's Marathon and Looe Key confirmed yesterday. ENE winds 16–18 mph, 2 ft confused seas, 30 ft vis, 76°F water, slight current. No Rainbow Reef reports from Key Largo in the last 48 hours due to weather. Last confirmed Key Largo sighting: Eagle Rays at Grecian Rocks March 18. Expect fresh reports from operators Sunday as conditions flatten out.
Daily Safety Tip
Residual swell after a long wind event
The wind has dropped but the swell takes time to follow. Buoy 41114 offshore Jupiter is still reading 5.6 ft even though winds are light this morning. This residual swell makes for uncomfortable conditions on small vessels even when the forecast looks calm. Give it until this afternoon before heading offshore from Jupiter or Palm Beach. By Sunday the swell will have fully dissipated. Never go out alone.
Disclaimer: The Florida Flow aggregates publicly available NOAA forecasts, buoy data, and operator logs. Conditions ratings are informational only. Buoy readings are from offshore stations 20–60 nm from shore. Nearshore conditions vary based on vessel type, captain judgment, experience level, and site. Always verify with your operator before heading out. The Florida Flow is not responsible for decisions made based on this briefing. Never go out alone.
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