Sunny, high near 81°. No real rain risk. All-day beach window.
forecastRain OutlookOpen-Meteo
tap an hourTop rain chance is just 0% — 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.
Wind
11 mph
from the ENE
UV Index
Moderate
easy sunscreen day
Time to Burn
UV 5 · incl. sand glarefor unprotected fair skin (burns easily, tans a little). SPF 30+, reapply every 2 hours and after every swim.
Strongest 1 PM to 2 PM · peaks at UV 6
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
todayCalm 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
Water Quality
bacteria testingWater here is sampled by the Florida Healthy Beaches Program at the Seashore Beachwalk station (1.4 km from the beach centre). We do not restate the result, because the state publishes it only on its own page and a stale copy here could be wrong about today.
Today’s official resultSource: Florida Department of Health
Sargassum WatchNOAA satellite
seaweed outlookLatest 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 2021–2024Warmest around August (87°), coolest around January (62°).
surf’s up (gently)
Tides are NOAA predictions (Fort Walton Beach station 8729554); 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.
The air is 70°F, feeling like 64°F, with breezy 9 mph winds from the NE. The UV index reaches 6 (high), strongest from 1 PM to 2 PM. The National Weather Service rip current risk is moderate.
The week ahead at Fort Walton Beach, day by day: the sky, the high, the strongest wind and the biggest waves, the UV peak and the daytime chance of rain. The calmest day for a swim looks like Mon Nov 2.
| Day | Sky | High | Wind | Waves | UV | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | Cloudy | 81°F | 12 mph | — | 6 | 0% |
| Thu Oct 29 | Cloudy | 80°F | 12 mph | — | 6 | 0% |
| Fri Oct 30 | Cloudy | 79°F | 11 mph | — | 3 | 0% |
| Sat Oct 31 | Drizzle | 79°F | 12 mph | — | 3 | 29% |
| Sun Nov 1 | Showers | 73°F | 17 mph | — | 2 | 53% |
| Mon Nov 2 | Cloudy | 74°F | 10 mph | — | 4 | 3% |
| Tue Nov 3 | Drizzle | 76°F | 11 mph | — | 3 | 13% |
The average sea temperature at Fort Walton Beach for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in August (87°F) and coolest in January (62°F). It averages 74°F or warmer, comfortable for most swimmers, in May, June, July, August, September, October.
| Month | Water °F | Water °C | For swimming |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 62°F | 17°C | Chilly |
| February | 62°F | 17°C | Chilly |
| March | 67°F | 19°C | Chilly |
| April | 70°F | 21°C | Cool |
| May | 78°F | 25°C | Comfortable |
| June | 82°F | 28°C | Warm |
| July | 85°F | 29°C | Warm |
| August | 87°F | 30°C | Very warm |
| September | 85°F | 30°C | Warm |
| October (now) | 79°F | 26°C | Comfortable |
| November | 72°F | 22°C | Cool |
| December | 66°F | 19°C | Chilly |
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 6 today, when unprotected fair skin burns in about 25 minutes. Wear SPF 30 or higher, reapply every two hours and after swimming, and find shade in the middle of the day.
Red tide. Florida's state sampling (FWC) has flagged nothing near Fort Walton Beach this week. Red tide can make you cough and sting your eyes near the water.
Seaweed. The NOAA satellite shows moderate sargassum offshore.
Water quality. Water at Fort Walton Beach is sampled by the Florida Healthy Beaches Program at the Seashore Beachwalk station. Official sampling results →
Dogs. Dogs are not allowed on this beach.
Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Fort Walton Beach rules page covers dogs, alcohol, fires and more.
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.
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 Fort Walton Beach it’s breezy.
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.
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.
The UV index peaks at 6 (high). At that peak, unprotected fair skin burns in about 25 minutes. Wear SPF 30 or higher, reapply every two hours and after swimming, and find shade in the middle of the day.
The National Weather Service rates the rip current risk at Fort Walton Beach moderate today. If a current pulls you out, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of it, then swim back in.
Florida's state sampling (FWC) has flagged nothing near Fort Walton Beach this week.
The NOAA satellite shows moderate sargassum offshore.
Highs run 73–81°F over the next 7 days. Rain is likely on Sun Nov 1. The calmest day for a swim looks like Mon Nov 2.
The water at Fort Walton Beach averages about 79°F (26°C) in October.
August is the warmest month, averaging 87°F. January is the coolest, at 62°F.
The water averages 74°F or warmer from May, June, July, August, September and October. August is the warmest, at 87°F.
The usual water temperature in October at the nearest beaches. Tap one for its live conditions.
| Destin conditions | 7 mi | 78°F |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa Beach conditions | 25 mi | 78°F |
| Grayton Beach conditions | 28 mi | 79°F |
| 30A conditions | 29 mi | 79°F |
| Seaside conditions | 29 mi | 79°F |
| Pensacola Beach conditions | 33 mi | 79°F |
More for Fort Walton Beach: parking · sunset time tonight · things to do · US water temperatures today →