Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Rockledge, FL

DISCUSSION
Issued at 318 AM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Today-Sunday...We begin this Saturday morning monitoring the potential for patchy, locally dense fog. Dew point depressions are narrowing to 1-3 degrees as of 2 AM, and model soundings indicate this will continue through 6 AM or so. HRRR probabilities of less than one-half mile visibility are 30-50% over a sizable portion of the area. This includes the Orlando metro, Titusville, and points south to parts of rural Osceola, Okeechobee, Indian River, and St.
Lucie counties. Those traveling early this morning should exercise caution if encountering dense fog. Slow down, use low-beam headlights, and leave plenty of following distance between vehicles.
Any fog will quickly dissipate by 8-9 AM as daytime heating/mixing resumes.

With high pressure, a relatively dry airmass, and light winds in place, temperatures will soar into the 80s and low 90s this afternoon. It will stay a few degrees cooler (mid 80s) at the coast, due to the east coast sea breeze. Interior locations will likely push the 90-degree mark, with places like Leesburg approaching a daily record. Yesterday, we fell short of forecast highs by several degrees, so today's forecast highs lean a little closer to NBM25 than NBM50. That said, H85 temps will increase a bit more, reaching the 75th-90th percentile of climatology. If outdoors, especially for those more sensitive to the heat, be sure to take breaks in the shade or A/C and stay hydrated. Temperatures this evening settle into the 70s before midnight and feeling a bit more humid. Overnight lows are forecast to reach the mid 60s to low 70s (coast).

A moderate risk of rip currents continues at area beaches today.
Swim near a lifeguard and never enter the water alone!

Sunday Night-Friday...500mb flow veers northwesterly late Sunday night into Monday, coincident with modest height falls. Broad mid level troughing sets up over the U.S. east coast Monday as a cold front pushes south of our area. As the surface pressure gradient tightens around a high pressure center (near the Great Lakes/OH Valley), northeast winds increase locally on Monday and Tuesday.
Sustained speeds of 15-25 mph with occasional gusts 30-35 mph are forecast, particularly closer to the coast. Temperatures are also going to be noticeably cooler to start the new work week, dropping to slightly below normal levels through Wednesday (mid 70s/low 80s).
Plentiful moisture (1.4-1.6" PW) from Orlando/Melbourne southward will support a good bit of cloud cover and low to medium rain chances on Monday. The highest chances look to be focused from Melbourne south along the Treasure Coast and near Lake Okeechobee (30-50%). An isolated lightning storm or two cannot be ruled out, but overall instability will remain limited.

Drier air quickly presses south into Tuesday, bringing an end to our rain chances. H5 heights briefly/weakly build on Wednesday with lighter onshore winds returning (10-15 mph, gusts to 20 mph).
Guidance indicates a modest shortwave moving across the eastern Gulf and FL Peninsula Wed-Thu, but there is not a lot of support for precipitation mid to late week. For now, the forecast keeps out any mention of rainfall through Friday. More sunshine, especially Thursday and Friday, should help temperatures rebound to near/slightly above normal. Look for mostly dry conditions and even warmer air to return heading into the last weekend of April.

MARINE
Issued at 318 AM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Favorable boating conditions stick around through the weekend with 2- 3 ft seas and winds generally 10-14 kt or less. A brief shower cannot be ruled out late tonight, primarily south of Sebastian Inlet. Otherwise, dry weather prevails until Sunday night and early Monday when a cold front pushes south across the waters. Rain chances increase to 30-50% with an isolated lightning storm possible through Monday evening. Winds and seas are forecast to build behind the front, from north to south. Northeast winds 20-30 kt are anticipated by sunrise Monday morning north of Sebastian Inlet, along with 5-9 ft seas. As the pressure gradient tightens and expands southward, seas will continue to build across all the local waters Monday into early Tuesday. Wave heights reach 7-9 ft nearshore and up to 11 ft in the Gulf Stream Monday night. Seas remain poor to hazardous Tuesday before winds begin to decrease into Wednesday. Poor conditions may linger through mid week south of the Cape.

AVIATION
(12Z TAFs)
Issued at 732 AM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Patchy fog has managed to develop across portions of east central Florida this morning, especially along the coast. TEMPOs in effect at TIX/VRB/FPR through 13Z for VIS reductions. SE winds pick up after 15Z areawide, with wind speeds reaching 10 knots.
Winds may turn more westerly at LEE late this afternoon as the west coast sea breeze moves inland. By tonight, winds become light and variable to calm at the terminals. No rain concerns through the period.

FIRE WEATHER
Issued at 318 AM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Patchy, locally dense fog is possible this morning across much of east central Florida. Warm and mostly dry weather continues this weekend with high pressure remaining in place. Humidity values are forecast to fall near critical levels across the interior this afternoon, before moisture slowly returns to the area Sunday into Monday. Light and variable wind this morning turns onshore along the coast as the sea breeze develops. The west coast breeze is forecast to move inland late in the afternoon, colliding with the east coast breeze over the interior this evening. Occasional gusts of 15 to 20 mph are possible behind the breezes.

A cold front approaches late Sunday into early Monday, bringing a slight increase in rain chances (especially Melbourne south). Drier air quickly returns on Tuesday with high pressure building across the southeast U.S. Gusty winds spill southward immediately behind Monday's front, reaching 20-30 mph at times Monday and Tuesday.

CLIMATE
Issued at 318 AM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Record Highs for Saturday-Sunday (18th-19th):

April 18th April 19th Daytona Beach 92 1967 92 1968 Leesburg 90 1990 92 2020 Sanford 94 1967 94 2020 Orlando 93 1922 94 1922 Melbourne 91 2015 93 2015 Vero Beach 92 2015 93 1969 Fort Pierce 94 2015 92 1988

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
DAB 86 66 88 65 / 0 0 0 10 MCO 90 68 89 68 / 0 0 0 10 MLB 84 69 86 69 / 0 0 10 20 VRB 84 68 86 69 / 0 10 10 20 LEE 90 67 88 64 / 0 0 0 0 SFB 90 67 90 65 / 0 0 0 10 ORL 91 69 90 67 / 0 0 0 10 FPR 84 67 87 68 / 0 10 10 20

MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
FL...None.
AM...None.