Friday, March 20, 2026
⚠️ SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY through Saturday 8 AM. NE winds 20 kt gusting 25 kt, seas 5–8 ft today. Rip current risk HIGH on all Atlantic beaches.
🌅 WEEKEND OUTLOOK: Saturday afternoon conditions ease significantly. Sunday looks clean. First real window of the week.Conditions Headline
Conditions Headline
Day five of this wind event and it is finally starting to wind down. NOAA AMZ650 issued 4:57 AM this morning: NE winds around 20 kt gusting to 25 kt, seas 5–8 ft at 8 sec period from Jupiter to Deerfield. Buoy 41114 offshore Jupiter is reading 5.6 ft at 9 sec right now. LKWF1 at Lake Worth showing NE 21 kt gusting 23 kt, water temp 75°F.
The good news is the forecast shows a clear pattern of improvement. Tonight N winds drop to 15–20 kt, seas ease to 5–7 ft. Saturday N 10–15 kt with seas 3–5 ft. Saturday night NE 5–10 kt, seas 2–4 ft. Sunday W 5 kt, seas 2–3 ft — that is your cleanest day of the week by a wide margin. Plan your weekend around Sunday.
BHB high tide is 9:52 AM today. Window 9:22–10:22 AM. iDiveFlorida rates it light green. Conditions are still rough offshore but BHB is protected. Key Largo had no captain report filed yet today. last entry March 19 showed canceled tours with 3 ft seas. Expect similar today, improving tomorrow.
Daily Data
Visibility methodology: Offshore sites baseline 40–80 ft vis, penalized for seas and wave period. Inshore sites baseline 20–50 ft, penalized more aggressively. 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 | 🔴 Rough | ~20–30 ft | 70°F | 5.6 ft / 9 sec | NE 21 kt gusts 23 kt |
Blue Heron Bridge | 🟡 Marginal | ~15–25 ft | ~75°F | Protected | High tide: 9:52 AM |
Palm Beach / Singer Is. | 🔴 Rough | ~20–30 ft | 75°F | 5–8 ft / 8 sec | NE 20 kt gusts 25 kt |
Deerfield / Pompano | 🔴 Rough | ~20–30 ft | ~75°F | 5–8 ft / 8 sec | NE 20–25 kt |
Fort Lauderdale | 🔴 Rough | ~20–30 ft | 76°F | 3.6 ft / 6 sec | NE 20–25 kt |
Miami / Key Biscayne | 🔴 Rough | ~20–30 ft | ~76°F | 5–8 ft / 8 sec | NE 20–25 kt |
Key Largo / Upper Keys | 🔴 Rough | Not reported today | ~76°F | ~3 ft Hawk Ch. | NE 20–25 kt. Tours likely canceled. |
Sources: NOAA AMZ650 issued 4:57 AM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026 (Small Craft Advisory through Sat 8 AM EDT). Buoy 41114 offshore Jupiter, observed 15:56 UTC today. Buoy 41122 Hollywood, observed 16:00 UTC today. Buoy LKWF1 Lake Worth Pier, observed 15:48 UTC today. Island Ventures Key Largo — no Mar 20 entry filed yet, last entry Mar 19. BHB tides: iDiveFlorida Phil Foster Park Mar 20 2026. All vis predicted from sea state and wave period model except where noted. Buoy data from offshore stations 20–60 nm from shore.
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Today on the Water — By Activity
Activity | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
🤿 Scuba Diving | 🔴 Rough | Offshore no-go. BHB marginal window 9:22–10:22 AM. Key Largo tours likely canceled again. Plan for Sunday. |
🏄 Surfing | 🟡 Marginal | 3–5 ft NE swell, 8 sec period. More organized than earlier this week. Experienced surfers only today, cleaner Saturday. |
🚣 Kayak / SUP | 🔴 Rough | ICW and protected inlets only. Open water not safe with NE 20 kt winds. Good to go Sunday. |
⛵ Boating / Fishing | 🔴 Rough | Small Craft Advisory through Sat 8 AM. Inshore fishing only today. Offshore viable Saturday afternoon. |
🏖️ Beach / Swimming | 🟡 Use Caution | HIGH rip current risk on all Atlantic beaches today. Stay out of the water unless you are a strong swimmer. Improves Saturday. |
🌊 Weekend Outlook Saturday afternoon: N 10–15 kt, seas 3–5 ft. Marginal for offshore but improving fast.
Saturday night: NE 5–10 kt, seas 2–4 ft. BHB high tide 10:35 AM Saturday — rated dark green by iDiveFlorida. Best BHB window of the week.
Sunday: W 5 kt, seas 2–3 ft. Clean day coastwide. Best water sports day since last weekend. Plan around it.
Marine Life Sighting Alert
⚪ No new confirmed reports today
No captain logs filed yet for March 20. Last confirmed: Eagle Rays at Grecian Rocks, Key Largo, March 18. Narcosis Dive logged reef sharks, bull shark, Goliath grouper, and hawksbill turtle on the Palm Beach corridor wrecks March 15 with 60–100 ft vis. Saturday and Sunday will be the first real opportunity for fresh operator reports this week. Check back tomorrow morning.
Daily Safety Tip
High rip current risk today on all South Florida beaches
NOAA has issued a High Rip Current Risk for all Atlantic beaches from Palm Beach to Miami through the weekend. Five days of NE swell has built up significant longshore current energy. Even on beaches that look calm, rip currents can pull swimmers offshore fast. If caught in one, swim parallel to shore rather than fighting it. Never swim alone, and avoid swimming in rough surf today entirely if you are not a strong ocean swimmer.
Disclaimer: The Florida Flow aggregates publicly available NOAA forecasts, buoy data, and operator logs. Conditions ratings are informational only and do not account for all factors that determine whether heading out is safe. 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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