Beach Guide

Cedar Key Conditions Today

Cedar Key right now: water 72°F, surf 1–2 ft, wind 12 mph from the NE. Next high tide at 5:47 PM.

live · NOAA + Open-Meteo

green

1–2 ft

surf

Partly cloudy, high near 80°. No real rain risk. All-day beach window. Breezy, up to 15 mph.

forecast

Slide Through the Day

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12 PM

or watch the whole day fly by

76°

Air

78°

Feels

72°

Water

15 mph

Wind

5

UV

0%

Rain

Hour by Hour

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Rain OutlookOpen-Meteo

tap an hour
6 AM10 AM2 PM6 PM9 PM

Top rain chance is just 1% — pack the sunscreen, not the umbrella.

Tide

0.3 ft · falling ↘

Next low tide

12:24 PM 0.2 ft

T−…

1.9 ft of drop from the 7:54 AM high; the wet sand is widest from about 11:24 AM.

HIGHLOWrisingfalling
12A6A12P6P12A
High 7:54 AM
Low 12:24 PM
High 8:18 PM
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Wind

NESW

15 mph

from the NE

UV Index

5

Moderate

easy sunscreen day

Time to Burn

UV 5 · incl. sand glare
29min

for unprotected fair skin (burns easily, tans a little). SPF 30+, reapply every 2 hours and after every swim.

An estimate from the standard erythemal dose model, not a medical limit. Darker skin burns more slowly than this, people vary either way, and sunscreen only helps if you use enough of it and reapply.

Rip Current Riskestimated

today
ESCAPE: SWIM PARALLEL
Low
Moderate
High

Calm pattern today. Currents can still surprise — keep kids within reach.

Caught in one? Don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the beach until you’re free, then angle back in.

Beach Flag

Green Flag

calm, swim easy

estimated · trust the lifeguard

Red Tide

Checking…

asking FWC

Stingers & Biters

modelled, not observed

Based on wind, water temperature and humidity. Nobody publishes a live count, so this is what conditions favour today.

No-see-umsUnlikely

9 mph breeze around sunset should keep them down.

Sargassum WatchNOAA satellite

seaweed outlook
Clear
Light
Moderate
Heavy

Latest 7-day NOAA satellite composite detects moderate sargassum offshore. Some may drift onto the beach. Offshore satellite estimate only — on-the-ground conditions may differ.

Water by Monthtypical

avg 2021–2024
57
J
62
F
70
M
74
A
80
M
84
J
89
J
88
A
85
S
77
O
71
N
62
D

Warmest around July (89°), coolest around January (57°).

surf’s up (gently)

Tides are NOAA predictions (Cedar Key station 8727520); temps, wind, UV, waves and water temp are live from Open-Meteo; rip current risk from the NWS surf-zone forecast; red tide from FWC sampling. Flag status is estimated from wave height and wind, so always trust the lifeguard’s actual flag over this app.

Cedar Key beach conditions today

The water at Cedar Key is 72°F (22°C) today, 5°F cooler than the usual 77°F for October. For swimming it is cool but swimmable. Waves are 1–2 ft (moderate). The air is 80°F, with breezy 12 mph winds from the NE. The UV index reaches 5 (moderate). The National Weather Service rip current risk is moderate.

The water warms about 2°F by Wed Nov 4.

Cedar Key 7-day forecast

The week ahead at Cedar Key, day by day: the sky, the high, the strongest wind and the biggest waves, the UV peak and the daytime chance of rain, and the water temperature. The calmest day for a swim looks like Wed Nov 4.

DaySkyHighWindWavesUVRainWater
TodayCloudy80°F15 mph1.5 ft51%72°F
Fri Oct 30Cloudy81°F14 mph1.6 ft50%73°F
Sat Oct 31Cloudy85°F13 mph1.8 ft56%73°F
Sun Nov 1Showers76°F12 mph1.9 ft259%73°F
Mon Nov 2Showers74°F14 mph1.8 ft339%73°F
Tue Nov 3Drizzle79°F10 mph1.5 ft47%73°F
Wed Nov 4Cloudy78°F9 mph1.2 ft512%74°F

Tide times at Cedar Key

High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 8727520. Heights are in feet above the average low tide. The shell window is the last hour and a quarter of the ebb and the first three-quarters of the flood around the day’s lowest daylight low, when the most sand is bare; the lowest low of the week is marked.

Highs and lows, this weekNOAA
DayTide 1Tide 2Tide 3Tide 4Shell window
TodayHigh 3:37 AM 4.5Low 11:04 AM -0.6High 5:47 PM 3.3Low 10:46 PM 1.89:49 AM–11:49 AM · best
Fri Oct 30High 4:20 AM 4.4Low 11:55 AM -0.4High 6:41 PM 3.0Low 11:32 PM 1.910:40 AM–12:40 PM
Sat Oct 31High 5:11 AM 4.2Low 12:50 PM -0.1High 7:39 PM 2.9—11:35 AM–1:35 PM
Sun Nov 1Low 12:28 AM 1.9High 5:12 AM 3.9Low 12:52 PM 0.3High 7:44 PM 2.811:37 AM–1:37 PM
Mon Nov 2Low 12:41 AM 1.9High 6:29 AM 3.5Low 2:06 PM 0.7High 8:52 PM 2.812:51 PM–2:51 PM
Tue Nov 3Low 2:13 AM 1.7High 8:13 AM 3.3Low 3:20 PM 0.9High 9:47 PM 3.02:05 PM–4:05 PM
Wed Nov 4Low 3:41 AM 1.3High 9:56 AM 3.2Low 4:22 PM 1.1High 10:30 PM 3.23:07 PM–5:07 PM

Cedar Key water temperature by month

The average sea temperature at Cedar Key for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in July (89°F) and coolest in January (57°F). It averages 74°F or warmer, comfortable for most swimmers, in May, June, July, August, September, October.

MonthWater °FWater °CFor swimming
January57°F14°CCold
February62°F17°CChilly
March70°F21°CCool
April74°F23°CCool
May80°F27°CWarm
June84°F29°CWarm
July89°F31°CVery warm
August88°F31°CVery warm
September85°F29°CWarm
October (now)77°F25°CComfortable
November71°F22°CCool
December62°F17°CChilly

Staying safe at Cedar Key

Rip currents. Today’s National Weather Service rip current risk is moderate. If a current pulls you away from shore, don’t fight it: swim parallel to the beach until you are out of it, then swim back in. If you can’t, float and wave for help.

Sun. The UV index peaks at 5 today. Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.

Red tide. Florida's state sampling (FWC) near Cedar Key shows red tide at none levels, from 10 samples this week. Red tide can make you cough and sting your eyes near the water.

Seaweed. The NOAA satellite shows moderate sargassum offshore.

Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Cedar Key rules page covers dogs, alcohol, fires and more.

How to read beach conditions

Waves

Under 1 ft is calm, good for small children and floating. 1–2 ft is small, fine for most swimmers. 2–4 ft is moderate: fun for bodyboarding, harder for weak swimmers. 4–6 ft is rough, and over 6 ft is dangerous for swimming. Today at Cedar Key it’s moderate.

Wind

Under 8 mph is light and pleasant. 8–15 mph is breezy, good for kites and cooler on a hot day. 15–25 mph blows sand and whips up the water. Over 25 mph most people pack up. Today at Cedar Key it’s breezy.

UV index

0–2 is low, 3–5 moderate, 6–7 high, 8–10 very high and 11 or more extreme. At 8 or more, fair skin can burn in under 20 minutes. The UV index is highest around midday even when it is cloudy.

Water temperature

Under 60°F is cold and most people want a wetsuit. 68–73°F is cool but swimmable. 74–79°F feels comfortable, and 80°F or more feels warm.

Cedar Key conditions FAQ

What is the water temperature at Cedar Key today?

72°F (22°C), 5°F cooler than the usual 77°F for October.

Is the water warm enough to swim at Cedar Key today?

At 72°F the water is cool but swimmable. Waves are 1–2 ft, which is moderate. The rip current risk is moderate.

How big are the waves at Cedar Key today?

1–2 ft, which is moderate. The wind is 12 mph from the NE.

What time is high tide at Cedar Key today?

High tide is at 3:37 AM and 5:47 PM, and low tide is at 11:04 AM and 10:46 PM. Times are NOAA predictions.

What is the UV index at Cedar Key today?

The UV index peaks at 5 (moderate). Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.

Is there a rip current risk at Cedar Key today?

The National Weather Service rates the rip current risk at Cedar Key moderate today. If a current pulls you out, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of it, then swim back in.

Is there red tide at Cedar Key right now?

Florida's state sampling (FWC) near Cedar Key shows red tide at none levels, from 10 samples this week.

Is there seaweed (sargassum) at Cedar Key?

The NOAA satellite shows moderate sargassum offshore.

What is the beach weather at Cedar Key this week?

Highs run 74–85°F over the next 7 days. Rain is likely on Sun Nov 1. The calmest day for a swim looks like Wed Nov 4.

What is the water temperature at Cedar Key in October?

The water at Cedar Key averages about 77°F (25°C) in October.

When is the water warmest at Cedar Key?

July is the warmest month, averaging 89°F. January is the coolest, at 57°F.

What is the best time of year to swim at Cedar Key?

The water averages 74°F or warmer from May, June, July, August, September and October. July is the warmest, at 89°F.

Conditions at beaches near Cedar Key

The usual water temperature in October at the nearest beaches. Tap one for its live conditions.

Hernando Beach conditions51 mi78°F
Honeymoon & Caladesi conditions76 mi78°F
Clearwater Beach conditions81 mi79°F
Indian Rocks Beach conditions87 mi79°F
Redington Beach conditions92 mi79°F
Madeira Beach conditions93 mi79°F

More for Cedar Key: parking · sunset time tonight · things to do · US water temperatures today →