AFDKEY Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Key West FL 440 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026 ...New DISCUSSION, MARINE, AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... - Light to gentle breezes will continue through the rest of the work week. - Mainly dry conditions along with near-normal temperatures will also continue through Friday. - Despite rainfall last week, drought conditions persist for the entire island chain. These conditions may worsen over the next several days due to lack of measurable rainfall for most locations. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 440 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026 Yet again another tranquil overnight persists, as KBYX continues to detect a lack of precipitation. Nighttime Microphysics satellite imagery indicates a thin boundary line of clouds across the Straits of Florida though nothing has sparked from it and elsewhere remains cloud free. Surface observations across the island chain show temperatures near 70F with dew points in the lower 60s. Marine observations along the Reef report light winds generally ranging from 5 to 10 knots. For today, similar conditions will once again persist. Stability in the atmosphere from the nearby high pressure will support mostly sunny skies, with near nil rain chances. Light to gentle northeasterly winds will potentially become variable during the afternoon as pressure gradient weakens. Looking ahead to the rest of the week, high pressure will remain the dominate feature influencing the Keys, maintaining a dry and stable air mass. Therefore, minimal changes are anticipated through the next few days with continued low rain chances and mostly clear skies. In the extended period, a frontal boundary is projected to approach the region around Sunday. While significant temperatures variability is not currently expected with this front, it is likely to be accompanied by freshening of breezes, potentially reaching fresh to strong. Details in the forecast regarding timing and intensity will become more refined as it gets closer to time. Stay tuned! && .MARINE... Issued at 440 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026 No watches, warnings, or advisories are currently in effect for the Florida Keys waters. From synopsis, high pressure centered in the Gulf just to the west of the Florida Peninsula and will remain in place through the next several days while weakening. This will support a stagnant pattern of generally light to gentle north to northeast breezes As a secondary high builds in the west- central Atlantic, will veer to the northeast to east and freshen late in the work week through the weekend. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 440 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026 VFR conditions will prevail at both EYW and MTH through the TAF period. Dry air will limit any shower activity and keep cloud coverage to a minimum. Near surface winds will be northeasterly at 5 to 10 knots through the afternoon. && .KEY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GM...None. && $$ $$