Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Watergate, FL

UPDATE
Issued at 804 AM EST Sat Feb 28 2026

A diffuse frontal boundary noted in the early AM discussion continues to sit just north of Lake Okeechobee this morning. South of this boundary, abundant low-level moisture in a light southerly wind flow is in place with dewpoints in the upper 60s/lower 70s.
This is promoting areas of low clouds and fog, primarily from west of metro SE Florida to the Naples area. The fog should burn off by 10 AM and give way to partly/mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures rising into the 80s early this afternoon.

A mid-level shortwave trough currently over the eastern Gulf of America will move east across the Florida peninsula this afternoon. The warm and humid southerly low level wind flow should destabilize the low levels, and HRRR ensemble consensus indicates CAPE values well over 1000 j/kg this afternoon. Mid-level winds 30-40 knots in association with the shortwave overlaying the low level instability should aid in the formation of scattered showers and thunderstorms between 2-8 PM. The showers and thunderstorms will favor eastern sections including much of the SE Florida metro area once the seabreeze sets up. Most likely areas to be affected are Palm Beach and Broward counties, perhaps as far south as northern Miami-Dade County.

The latest Storm Prediction Center convective outlook has a marginal (Level 1) risk of severe thunderstorm over most of SE Florida extending westward to Lake Okeechobee, and feel that this adequately covers the potential for a few storms with strong to damaging wind gusts, hail, and even a non-zero chance of a funnel cloud or tornado before the threat decreases after 8 PM.

SHORT TERM
(Today through Sunday)
Issued at 1236 AM EST Sat Feb 28 2026

South Florida sits just to the south of a decaying frontal boundary early this morning. With light southerly moisture advection and light surface winds, fog development is likely once again early this morning especially across Southwest Florida and local Gulf waters. Residual smoke from the National & Regal fires in southwestern Florida may act to create exceptionally dense fog across these areas, resulting in visibilities nearing zero at times and dangerous driving conditions. Motorists are advised to exercise extra caution if traveling along inland routes through 9am this morning, especially along Alligator Alley and SR-29 in Collier/Hendry counties.

The decaying frontal boundary will continue to progress very slowly southward through the day today while likely remaining just to the north of the forecast area as a shortwave transverses the SE CONUS.
This should keep South Florida in the envelope of deeper tropical moisture. The continued increase of low-level moisture and passage of the shortwave could help facilitate the development of a few strong to marginally severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. While it will be possible for most of South Florida to see a few showers today, the focus of convection will develop near the Lake Okeechobee region during the late afternoon/early evening with showers and storms eventually pushing off the Palm Beach coast.
Potential hazards include gusty winds, small hail, and a non-zero chance of a quick spin-up tornado in this type of setup.

Rain chances will decrease slightly on Sunday as the frontal boundary slowly sags and eventually stalls across South Florida.
Surface flow will eventually veer northeasterly through the day as the boundary fizzles and pressure gradient begins to tighten. Enough moisture will remain in place to support a few coastal showers during the morning hours, and scattered showers to isolated thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours.

High temperatures today and tomorrow will reach the low to mid 80s with lows in the 60s overnight.

LONG TERM
(Sunday night through Friday)
Issued at 1236 AM EST Sat Feb 28 2026

As the frontal boundary becomes frontolytic in the vicinity of our region on Monday, the moisture associated with it will remain across the region. With the departure of the mid-level shortwave well to the east of the region and the departure of the subtropical jet- stream well to the north of the region, a quiet period on the synoptic scale is ushered into the region as a mid-level ridge of high pressure develops over the Gulf and gradually slides eastwards towards South Florida on Tuesday. Breezy conditions are forecast to develop by the Tuesday-Wednesday time period as the surface pressure gradient tightens, mainly along the east coast where winds could gust 20-25 mph Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Precipitable water values in the 1.3 to 1.6 range will support the potential of isolated to scattered showers each day throughout the upcoming work- week perhaps maximized along the immediate east coastline and over local waters. Prevailing conditions by far will remain mostly sunny throughout the week as any shower activity should be brief.

Forecast high temperatures will range from the upper 70s to low 80s along the East coast to mid to upper 80s along the Gulf coast, Monday through Friday.

AVIATION
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 804 AM EST Sat Feb 28 2026

IFR in ceilings/visibility across interior and SW Florida expected to lift by 15z, otherwise VFR conditions prevail through 18z. Scattered SHRA/TSRA developing 18z-00z, favoring PBI-FLL corridor with periods of MVFR in and near the thunderstorms.
PROB30 TSRA covers this potential, and later forecasts may reflect TEMPO TSRA conditions as confidence increases in timing and placement of convection. Most precipitation ends after 00z, with local IFR in fog possible after 08z.

MARINE
Issued at 1236 AM EST Sat Feb 28 2026

Outside of locally elevated seas and winds in and around any shower or thunderstorm activity, conditions will remain benign across all local waters through the weekend. Locally dense fog may occur this morning across the nearshore Gulf and Lake Okeechobee waters, which will result in lower visibilities than normal. The development of a pressure gradient next week will act to establish a breezy to at times gusty easterly wind flow across the region during the beginning of next week. This will usher in a duration of likely Advisory conditions across the Atlantic waters during this time frame.

BEACHES
Issued at 1236 AM EST Sat Feb 28 2026

Light southerly winds across the region today will result in a low risk for rip currents across all South Florida beaches. With winds forecast to enhance out of an easterly onshore direction early next week, an elevated risk of rip currents is forecast to return along the east coast of South Florida.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
Miami 84 67 81 68 / 30 20 40 30 West Kendall 87 63 83 63 / 20 10 40 20 Opa-Locka 85 66 81 66 / 30 20 40 30 Homestead 85 66 82 67 / 20 10 40 30 Fort Lauderdale 82 67 78 68 / 40 30 40 30 N Ft Lauderdale 83 67 78 68 / 40 40 40 20 Pembroke Pines 86 67 83 66 / 40 30 40 30 West Palm Beach 82 66 78 66 / 60 40 30 10 Boca Raton 83 66 79 66 / 50 40 40 20 Naples 80 64 81 62 / 20 20 20 10

MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
FL...None.
AM...None.
GM...None.