Key West boaters got a brief but dramatic show Friday evening when a narrow waterspout spun up over Hawk Channel, clearly visible from Stock Island Marina. The rope-like funnel kicked up columns of spray under passing storm clouds in the Lower Keys, drew plenty of cameras from boaters and marina staff, then fizzled out just as quickly as it formed. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage tied to the sighting.
A video posted on X by the National Weather Service's Miami office shows the slender funnel pulling spray off the surface as it passed near the harbor, with the post crediting local boater Lorne Hale for the clip. According to NWS Miami, the footage was shot from Stock Island Marina and shared specifically to alert mariners. The clip made the rounds quickly among Keys boaters and weather watchers Friday night.
Special marine warning for Hawk Channel
The Key West forecast office followed up the sighting with a Special Marine Warning that covered Hawk Channel and adjacent Gulf waters after forecasters spotted a waterspout near Northwest Channel Buoy 1. At about 6:44 p.m. EDT, the marine product flagged a nearly stationary waterspout and warned of gusts topping 34 knots and suddenly higher waves, urging mariners to seek safe harbor, according to NWS Key West marine products.
Why waterspouts show up in the Keys
Waterspouts are a familiar warm-season guest in the Florida Keys, where small-scale cloud lines and bathwater-warm seas can quickly spin up shallow vortices that often last only a few minutes. The most common type here, non-supercell waterspouts, typically form from the surface upward beneath lines of cumulus clouds and can whip up spray rings and hazardous gusts, according to NWS Key West.
Boaters should head to shelter
Forecasters routinely remind anyone on the water that waterspouts are no mere sightseeing opportunity: they can capsize small craft and create locally dangerous seas. When a waterspout is reported, the standing guidance is to head for sheltered waters right away, per the marine advisory. If you spot one, steer at a right angle away from its path and keep your distance, then report what you see to the Coast Guard or file a storm report so officials can keep warnings current, according to the NWS marine message.
Stock Island Marina Village, a large deep-water facility just across from Key West, served as the prime vantage point for many of Friday's recordings and regularly hosts transient boaters who can be affected by these short-lived marine hazards. This story will be updated if officials or local authorities release new information about impacts or additional warnings, and mariners are urged to keep an eye on official NWS marine products for the latest advisories.
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