Weather
East Central Florida Weather Alert: High Surf, Dangerous Winds Oct 18
Melbourne, FL – Dangerous coastal conditions are intensifying across east central Florida on Sunday, October 18, with wind gusts reaching 40 mph, rough surf up to 10 feet and hazardous boating conditi
By Avery Collins · 2026-10-18T09:58:57.822Z
Melbourne, FL – Dangerous coastal conditions are intensifying across east central Florida on Sunday, October 18, with wind gusts reaching 40 mph, rough surf up to 10 feet and hazardous boating conditions expected to continue into the beginning of the workweek.
According to the National Weather Service in Melbourne, a combination of strong northeast winds, building seas and dangerous rip currents is affecting Atlantic beaches from Volusia County south through Martin County.
High surf advisory continues through Monday night
A High Surf Advisory remains in effect through Monday night for Atlantic beaches along the Daytona, Space and Treasure coasts.
Forecasters expect rough surf of 6 to 10 feet, with moderate beach and dune erosion possible.
A high risk of rip currents also begins Sunday morning across all east central Florida beaches.
Affected locations include Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach.
The National Weather Service strongly discourages entering the ocean because powerful rip currents and breaking waves could create life threatening conditions.
Wind advisory brings gusts up to 40 mph
A Wind Advisory remains in effect until 8 p.m. Sunday for coastal portions of Volusia, Brevard and Indian River counties.
Sustained north northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected in advisory areas, with peak gusts reaching 35 to 40 mph.
Residents should secure outdoor decorations, umbrellas, tents and trash bins. Drivers operating high profile vehicles may encounter difficult conditions.
Dangerous boating conditions continue into early week
Gale Warnings and Small Craft Advisories cover offshore waters from Flagler Beach to Jupiter Inlet.
Seas could build to 10 to 14 feet, with frequent gale force gusts in warned waters.
Mariners are urged to avoid unnecessary trips and secure vessels.
Sunday afternoon temperatures will range from the upper 70s around Daytona Beach and Orlando to the lower 80s near Melbourne, Vero Beach and Port St. Lucie.
Isolated to scattered showers are also possible.
Residents and visitors should monitor updated advisories at weather.gov/mlb before traveling to beaches or heading offshore.