Marine forecast
Tampa Bay, FL
- current wind
- 3 kt ENE
- Gusts
- 5 kt
- Air
- 86°F
- Water
- 83°F
- 72-hr peak
- 15 kt
Observed Tue 2:54 PM | GMZ830
- Gusts now
- 5 kt
- Air
- 86°F
- Water
- 83°F
- 72-hr peak
- 15 kt
- Peak seas
- 1 ft
In brief
At 2:54 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station SAPF1 (St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay, FL, 2 miles away) measured wind from the ENE at 3 kt, gusting to 5 kt. The NWS forecast for Tampa Bay, FL issued at 3:17 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for tonight: “Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay and inland waters light chop.”
Source: National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 15 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 1 ft
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Tonight | Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay and inland waters light chop. |
| Wednesday | Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay and inland waters light chop. |
| Wednesday Night | East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. |
| Thursday | East winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay and inland waters light chop. Scattered showers in the afternoon. |
| Thursday Night | East winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay and inland waters light chop. Scattered showers with isolated thunderstorms in the evening. |
| Friday | East winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming northwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters light chop. Scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. |
| Friday Night | North winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay and inland waters light chop. Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the evening. |
| Saturday | Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots, increasing to 20 to 25 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters rough. Isolated showers. Isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. |
| Saturday Night | Northeast winds 20 to 25 knots. Waves 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters rough. Isolated showers and thunderstorms in the evening. |
| Sunday | Northeast winds 20 to 25 knots, becoming east 25 to 30 knots in the afternoon. Waves 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters very rough. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms. |
Issued Tue 3:17 PM by Tampa Bay Ruskin FL (product CWFTBW).
Synopsis
High pressure will remain over the waters through Wednesday, keeping northeast winds 15 knots or below. Wind speeds will increase near cautionary levels for Wednesday night before returning below headlines through the rest of the week. A cold front will then move across the area Friday night into Saturday with winds becoming more northeasterly and increasing to advisory and possibly gale force for the weekend. Shower and storm chances will also increase starting Thursday mainly for the central and southern waters and continue each day through the weekend.
Recent buoy conditions
| Time | Wind | Gust | Seas | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 2:54 PM | 3 kt ENE | 5 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 1:54 PM | 3 kt NE | 7 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 12:54 PM | 6 kt NE | 8 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 11:54 AM | 6 kt ENE | 9 kt | — | 82°F |
| Tue 10:54 AM | 6 kt ENE | 9 kt | — | 82°F |
| Tue 9:54 AM | 8 kt NE | 9 kt | — | 82°F |
| Tue 8:54 AM | 7 kt ENE | 9 kt | — | 82°F |
| Tue 7:54 AM | 2 kt NNE | 3 kt | — | 82°F |
| Tue 6:54 AM | 3 kt NNE | 6 kt | — | 82°F |
| Tue 5:54 AM | 3 kt NNE | 5 kt | — | 82°F |
| Tue 4:54 AM | 5 kt N | 8 kt | — | 82°F |
| Tue 3:54 AM | 4 kt N | 7 kt | — | 82°F |
Observed Tue 2:54 PM at NDBC buoy SAPF1 (St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay, FL), 2.1 miles away.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for Tampa Bay today?
Tonight: Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay and inland waters light chop.
Is there a small craft advisory for Tampa Bay?
No advisories, warnings or watches are in effect for NWS zone GMZ830 as of the last update on this page. Advisories can be issued at any time; check the current bulletin before leaving the dock.
What is the water temperature at Tampa Bay?
The nearest buoy read 83°F (28°C) at Tue 2:54 PM. Sea surface temperature at a single buoy can differ by several degrees from the water at a beach or in a shallow bay nearby.
What do the wind speeds in knots mean?
One knot is 1.15 mph. The National Weather Service issues a small craft advisory for sustained winds of roughly 22–33 knots or hazardous seas, a gale warning at 34–47 knots, and a storm warning at 48 knots and above. Exact advisory thresholds vary by forecast office and by water body — a bay reaches dangerous chop at a lower wind speed than open ocean.
Where does this forecast come from?
The forecast text is the National Weather Service's own marine bulletin for zone GMZ830, issued by Tampa Bay Ruskin FL, reproduced in full. The wind and seas charts are drawn from the NWS gridded forecast for a point inside the zone. Observations come from the nearest reporting NDBC buoy. We are not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service.
Forecast: NOAA/NWS product CWFTBW, issued Tue 3:17 PM. Observations: NOAA National Data Buoy Center station SAPF1, read Tue 2:54 PM. Retrieved Oct 13, 3:42 PM. Conditions offshore change faster than any page can be rebuilt, so check the current NWS bulletin and your own instruments before going out.