Small Boat Safety Action

Typical weather across the inland and coastal waters of Florida poses many hazards to small boats. The National Weather Service office in Florida, along with the National Hurricane Center, issue many types of warnings, watches and advisories to inform boaters on Florida waters of the potential weather-related dangers.

Local National Weather Service offices also issue a short-term forecast, valid time between zero and six hours of expected weather conditions for the waters and land areas as well.

The most efficient method of receiving these warnings and other forecast information from the local National Weather Service office is through a NOAA Weather Radio. The National Weather Service broadcasts on different radio frequencies across Florida, 24 hours per day, each day of the year. NOAA Weather Radios are equipped with alert systems which alert people with various high pitch sounds when most of the above warnings, watches and advisories are issued by the local National Weather Service office. The Coast Guard also broadcasts some of these warnings, advisories and statements across the marine radio emergency channel.

The main weather-related threats to small boats on the waters of Florida are strong winds, rough seas, lightning and waterspouts. Generally, wind gusts of 34 knots or more are often strong enough to capsize small boats, especially when they catch the boater off guard. Strong winds are usually generated by thunderstorms or fast moving rain showers over the waters of Florida. Locally rough seas can be generated by strong winds as well. Most small boats have difficulty maneuvering in seas of five feet or greater. For the most part, sustained winds of around 18 knots can produce seas of around five feet across most bodies of water in Florida. Wind gusts of 34 knots or greater (special marine warning criteria) can produce seas greater than eight feet in some areas.

Florida is considered the thunderstorm capitol of the United States with areas of west-central Florida near Tampa having the highest frequency of day per year with thunderstorms.

Lightning is also a hazard for boaters. There are no warnings for lightning issued by the National Weather Service but products such as the short term forecast and marine weather statements mention the possibility of cloud-to-water lightning strikes.

Florida is also considered the lightning capitol of the United States. Since lightning is produced by thunderstorms, Florida usually leads the nation in lightning-related deaths and injuries and many of these occur over the water.

Waterspouts are similar to tornadoes over water. Waterspouts are generally broken into two categories: fair weather waterspouts and tornadic waterspouts. Tornadic waterspouts are simply tornadoes which form over water and they have the same characteristics as tornadoes over land.

Fair weather waterspouts form differently from tornadic waterspouts and are usually less dangerous. The term fair weather comes from the fact that these type of waterspouts form during fair and relatively calm weather. Fair weather waterspouts usually form along the base of a line of developing cumulus clouds and rain showers. These type of waterspouts generally are not associated with thunderstorms whereas tornadic waterspouts develop in severe thunderstorms. Tornadic waterspouts develop in a thunderstorm cloud and work their way downward while a fair weather waterspout begins to develop on the surface of the water and works its way upward. By the time the funnel is visible, a fair weather waterspout is near maturity.
Fair weather waterspouts form in light wind conditions so they move very little. If a waterspout moves onshore, the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning as some of them can cause significant damage and be very dangerous. The best way to avoid a waterspout over water is to move at a 90 degree angle to its apparent movement. Never try to investigate a waterspout as some can be just as dangerous as tornadoes.

The Florida Keys are known as the waterspout capitol of the world. It has been estimated that between 300 and 400 waterspouts occur each year on the Keys coastal waters, but most of these are not reported. In 1999, 98 waterspouts have been reported along Florida Keys coastal waters. For more information on waterspouts, visit the National Weather Service Key West web page at http:/ /www.srh.noaa.gov/eyw under the weather hazards section and for pictures, under the photo gallery section.