790
FXUS62 KKEY 190318
AFDKEY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1018 PM EST WED FEB 18 2026
..NEW DISCUSSION, MARINE, AVIATION
KEY MESSAGES
- DRY CONDITIONS WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND.
- EAST TO SOUTHEASTERLY BREEZES WILL REMAIN GENTLE TO MODERATE
TODAY, SLACKENING TO LIGHT TO GENTLE THEREAFTER.
- A MODERATE DROUGHT CONTINUES FOR THE LOWER AND MIDDLE KEYS. BURN
BANS ARE POSSIBLE, TREES AND BUSHES BEGIN BROWNING, AND WATER
SUPPLY DECREASES.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 954 PM EST WED FEB 18 2026
A ROBUST ATLANTIC RIDGE REACHING WESTWARD ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA AND
THE GULF IS RESULTING IN LIGHT SOUTHEASTERLY BREEZES ACROSS THE
KEYS THIS EVENING. RIDGING DOMINATES THROUGH A DEEP LAYER. THIS
EVENINGS SOUNDING INDICATED MULTIPLE INHIBITION LAYERS. THE
SYNOPTICALLY DRIVEN INHIBITION IS BASED AROUND 850 MB. AN EVEN
LOWER INHIBITIVE LAYER IS BASED BELOW 950 MB, AND IS LIKELY OF
CUBAN ORIGIN. CONSEQUENTLY, SKIES ALONG THE ISLAND CHAIN HAVE
BEEN ESSENTIALLY CLEAR AND NO PRECIPITATION WAS EVIDENT ON LOCAL
RADARS. DESPITE THE LACK OF SHOWERS AND CLOUD COVER, SURFACE DEW
POINTS HAVE COME UP QUITE A BIT TO NEAR 70, WHILE TEMPERATURES ARE
IN THE MID 70S.
RIDGING WILL REMAIN IN CONTROL, KEEPING BREEZES LIGHT OUT OF THE
SOUTHEAST. THE SOUTHERLY COMPONENT WILL RESULT IN MOST ISLAND
LOCATIONS BOTTOMING OUT IN THE LOWER 70S WITH DEW POINTS REMAINING
NEAR 70. RAIN FREE CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST, BUT A HUMID MORNING IS
EXPECTED.
MARINE
ISSUED AT 954 PM EST WED FEB 18 2026
A PRESSURE RIDGE EXTENDING WESTWARD ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE
GULF WILL MAINTAIN LIGHT TO GENTLE SOUTHEASTERLY BREEZES ACROSS
KEYS WATERS OVERNIGHT. ESSENTIALLY NO CHANGES PLANNED FOR THE
EVENING MARINE UPDATE.
AVIATION
(00Z TAFS)
ISSUED AT 954 PM EST WED FEB 18 2026
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVERNIGHT AT THE ISLAND TERMINALS.
SURFACE WINDS WILL BE LIGHT OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST.
KEY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
FL...NONE.
GM...NONE.
PUBLIC/MARINE/FIRE...11
AVIATION/NOWCASTS....11
DATA ACQUISITION.....DP
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