Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Cedar Key, FL

UPDATE
Issued at 632 PM EST Thu Mar 5 2026

A cluster of showers and storms continues to move north across southeastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia. These showers and storms should lose steam after sunset with a mostly dry evening and overnight forecast. Attention then turns to fog potential overnight. Areas of fog are forecast across much of the region, especially for those that saw the much needed rain this afternoon.
Overall, though, not much change was made to the going forecast.

SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM
(This Afternoon through Friday)
Issued at 1148 AM EST Thu Mar 5 2026

A fairly benign weather pattern over the next several days, which looks more like meteorological summer, with diurnal showers and thunderstorms and record high temperatures possible. The most impactful aspect of this looks to be the potential for fog each morning. This pattern will be compliments of a strong subtropical ridge over the Southwest Atlantic with the westerlies displaced further to the north.

Cannot rule out a thunderstorm with wind gusts around 40 mph today, mainly west of the Apalachicola and Flint Rivers, with ML CAPE around 1k J/kg and DCAPE > 1k J/kg. While DCAPE is more questionable Friday into this weekend, deep layer winds are slightly stronger, maintaining the potential for isolated 40 mph wind gusts with storms.

As mentioned in the key messages, recurring rounds of nighttime and morning fog will continue through this weekend. For tonight into Friday morning, a Medium (30-70 percent) chance of dense fog mainly in the FL Big Bend, Eastern Panhandle, and Southeast Alabama. If confidence increases further, a Dense Fog Advisory may be needed.

Unseasonably warm temperatures are expected through the first half of next week with highs well into the 80s away from the cooler waters of the Gulf coast. As such, there is a low to medium chance of reaching record high temperatures late in the week and this weekend.

Looking ahead, rain chances will start to increase next Wednesday, particularly NW of a PAM-ABY line, as low pressure starts to move east along or inland of the Gulf Coast.

AVIATION
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 632 PM EST Thu Mar 5 2026

A cluster of showers and storms continues between KABY and KDHN for another couple of hours. Any showers/storms should dissipate after sunset. Fog and/or low stratus is a concern again this evening, first along the coast near KECP before moving inland through the night. Confidence was highest to drop visibility at KECP and KDHN with lesser confidence elsewhere, so adjustments to the TAFs may be needed depending on how the fog situation develops tonight.

Fog/low stratus continues into Friday morning before lifting to VFR later Friday morning. A smattering of showers is forecast Friday afternoon. However, confidence wasn't high enough to include at any one TAF site at this time.

MARINE
Issued at 1148 AM EST Thu Mar 5 2026

Over the next several days, the coastal waters will be under the influence of a subtropical ridge of high pressure over the Southwest Atlantic, with mainly dry weather expected. The ridge will maintain southeast winds around 10 to 15 knots through the period.
Daily afternoon seabreezes will prevail over the nearshore waters. Sea fog will also be a concern through this weekend due to the warm and moist air mass over winter-chilled waters.

FIRE WEATHER
Issued at 1148 AM EST Thu Mar 5 2026

A very warm and moist pattern over the next several days, with much above normal temperatures, and near-record temperatures possible.
Brief wetting rains are possible generally northwest of the FL Big Bend mainly during the afternoons each day, but coverage will be limited, with an isolated thunderstorm possible. Any storms may have erratic and gusty winds. Mostly fair dispersion away from the Gulf coast on Friday with the potential for high dispersion on both Saturday and Sunday.

HYDROLOGY
Issued at 1148 AM EST Thu Mar 5 2026

The latest US Drought Monitor depicts areas of severe (D2) to extreme (D3) drought across much of the region. Over the next week, rainfall will be limited to mainly scattered convection, and will be largely inconsequential. Amounts are forecast to generally range up to a half an inch in the FL Big Bend, and around a half and inch to an inch northwest of there into Southeastern AL.

For local drought info & statements, visit the following websites: weather.gov/tae/LocalDrought weather.gov/tae/DroughtInformationStatement

SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT

Spotter activation is not requested. However, spotters are always encouraged to safely report significant weather conditions when they occur by calling the office or tweeting us @NWSTallahassee.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
Tallahassee 63 82 63 82 / 10 20 0 10 Panama City 63 78 63 79 / 10 10 0 10 Dothan 61 83 62 84 / 20 50 0 20 Albany 62 84 63 84 / 20 30 10 20 Valdosta 63 86 63 86 / 20 30 20 10 Cross City 62 86 62 87 / 20 20 10 10 Apalachicola 63 72 62 72 / 10 0 0 0

TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
FL...None.
GA...None.
AL...None.
GM...None.