Note: This article may contain outdated information. It was published on Friday, March 20, 2026.

Weather

Deep Low Tide Strikes Fort Pierce Friday Afternoon

An unusually low -0.7-foot tide at 3:55 p.m. primes St. Lucie coastline for flats fishing and shellfish gathering, but warns shallow-draft boaters to proceed with caution.

By Thomas Egan | TC Sentinel Environment Reporter Friday, March 20, 2026

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Deep Low Tide Strikes Fort Pierce Friday Afternoon

Illustration by Priya Okafor / TC Sentinel

Tidal conditions along the Fort Pierce coastline Friday feature four well-defined tide cycles, with an unusually deep afternoon low that anglers and boaters should plan around, according to NOAA CO-OPS tidal predictions for the Fort Pierce station.

The day opens with a low tide of minus 0.4 feet at 3:44 a.m., followed by a morning high of 2.8 feet at 9:52 a.m. — a manageable window for early inshore launches at the Fort Pierce Inlet. The more notable cycle arrives mid-afternoon: a minus 0.7-foot low at 3:55 p.m., one of the deeper negative tides of the season. Shallow-draft boaters should use caution navigating cuts and flats during this window, as exposed oyster bars and sandbars will be at their most prominent. The day closes with a healthy evening high of 3.1 feet at 10:24 p.m.

FOR BOATERS: The 3.5-foot tidal swing between the afternoon low and the evening high creates a strong incoming current through the inlet beginning around 4 p.m. That push is favorable for snook, redfish and tarpon staging near structure. Plan your return to the dock before the negative low if your vessel draws more than 18 inches.

ON THE WATER: The morning high at 9:52 a.m. offers the best departure window for nearshore runs. Conditions on the flats between the Fort Pierce and St. Lucie inlets will be extremely shallow through the mid-to-late afternoon — wade fishermen and kayakers will find this the most productive window of the day for sight-fishing. Drift times on the outgoing tide run approximately 9 a.m. to 3:55 p.m.

ALERTS: No active NWS watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for St. Lucie County as of publication. Boaters should monitor VHF weather channel WX-1 for updates before departure, as conditions on the Treasure Coast can shift rapidly during the transition to spring.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.