Beach Guide

Lower Keys Conditions Today

Lower Keys right now: water 81°F, surf 2–3 ft, wind 9 mph from the NNE. Next low tide at 6:43 AM.

live · NOAA + Open-Meteo

yellow

2–3 ft

surf

Sunny, high near 86°. No real rain risk. All-day beach window.

forecast

Slide Through the Day

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12 PM

or watch the whole day fly by

85°

Air

91°

Feels

81°

Water

14 mph

Wind

6

UV

1%

Rain

Hour by Hour

tap an hour

Rain OutlookOpen-Meteo

tap an hour
6 AM10 AM2 PM6 PM9 PM

Top rain chance is just 4% — 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
drag the chart to scrub

Wind

NESW

14 mph

from the NE

UV Index

6

High

reapply every 80 min

Time to Burn

UV 6 · incl. sand glare
24min

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

Strongest 12 PM to 4 PM · peaks at UV 7

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

Currents strong enough to pull swimmers offshore. Stay near a lifeguard tower.

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

Beach Flag

Yellow Flag

stay close to shore

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

7 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
74
J
75
F
78
M
79
A
84
M
87
J
89
J
88
A
88
S
83
O
79
N
75
D

Warmest around July (89°), coolest around January (74°).

surf’s up (gently)

Tides are NOAA predictions (Lower Keys station 8724580); 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.

Lower Keys beach conditions today

The water at Lower Keys is 81°F (27°C) today, 2°F cooler than the usual 83°F for October. For swimming it is warm. Waves are 2–3 ft (moderate). The air is 77°F, feeling like 83°F, with breezy 9 mph winds from the NNE. The UV index reaches 7 (high), strongest from 1 PM to 4 PM.

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

Lower Keys 7-day forecast

The week ahead at Lower Keys, 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 Fri Oct 30.

DaySkyHighWindWavesUVRainWater
TodayCloudy86°F14 mph2.4 ft74%81°F
Fri Oct 30Cloudy85°F14 mph1.2 ft77%82°F
Sat Oct 31Cloudy80°F15 mph1.5 ft610%82°F
Sun Nov 1Thunderstorms79°F14 mph2.2 ft545%83°F
Mon Nov 2Thunderstorms79°F14 mph1.8 ft623%83°F
Tue Nov 3Showers79°F14 mph1.6 ft65%83°F
Wed Nov 4Sunny80°F10 mph1.6 ft66%83°F

Tide times at Lower Keys

High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 8724580. 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
TodayLow 6:43 AM 0.0High 1:39 PM 1.4Low 5:43 PM 0.9—4:28 PM–6:28 PM
Fri Oct 30High 12:41 AM 2.5Low 7:43 AM 0.1High 2:38 PM 1.3Low 6:32 PM 0.96:28 AM–8:28 AM · best
Sat Oct 31High 1:39 AM 2.4Low 8:51 AM 0.3High 3:46 PM 1.3Low 7:37 PM 1.07:36 AM–9:36 AM
Sun Nov 1High 1:49 AM 2.2Low 9:02 AM 0.4High 3:59 PM 1.4Low 8:09 PM 1.07:47 AM–9:47 AM
Mon Nov 2High 3:13 AM 2.1Low 10:08 AM 0.6High 5:03 PM 1.5Low 9:47 PM 1.08:53 AM–10:53 AM
Tue Nov 3High 4:43 AM 2.0Low 11:05 AM 0.7High 5:52 PM 1.7Low 11:10 PM 0.89:50 AM–11:50 AM
Wed Nov 4High 6:03 AM 2.0Low 11:52 AM 0.8High 6:33 PM 1.9—10:37 AM–12:37 PM

Lower Keys water temperature by month

The average sea temperature at Lower Keys for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in July (89°F) and coolest in January (74°F). It averages 74°F or warmer, comfortable for most swimmers, in every month.

MonthWater °FWater °CFor swimming
January74°F24°CComfortable
February75°F24°CComfortable
March78°F26°CComfortable
April79°F26°CComfortable
May84°F29°CWarm
June87°F30°CVery warm
July89°F32°CVery warm
August88°F31°CVery warm
September88°F31°CVery warm
October (now)83°F28°CWarm
November79°F26°CComfortable
December75°F24°CComfortable

Staying safe at Lower Keys

Rip currents. 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 7 today, when unprotected fair skin burns in about 22 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 Lower Keys this week. Red tide can make you cough and sting your eyes near the water.

Seaweed. The NOAA satellite shows moderate sargassum offshore.

Dogs. Dogs are allowed right now, on a leash.

Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Lower Keys 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 Lower Keys 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 Lower Keys 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.

Lower Keys conditions FAQ

What is the water temperature at Lower Keys today?

81°F (27°C), 2°F cooler than the usual 83°F for October.

Is the water warm enough to swim at Lower Keys today?

At 81°F the water is warm. Waves are 2–3 ft, which is moderate.

How big are the waves at Lower Keys today?

2–3 ft, which is moderate. The wind is 9 mph from the NNE.

What time is high tide at Lower Keys today?

High tide is at 1:39 PM, and low tide is at 6:43 AM and 5:43 PM. Times are NOAA predictions.

What is the UV index at Lower Keys today?

The UV index peaks at 7 (high). At that peak, unprotected fair skin burns in about 22 minutes. Wear SPF 30 or higher, reapply every two hours and after swimming, and find shade in the middle of the day.

Is there red tide at Lower Keys right now?

Florida's state sampling (FWC) has flagged nothing near Lower Keys this week.

Is there seaweed (sargassum) at Lower Keys?

The NOAA satellite shows moderate sargassum offshore.

What is the beach weather at Lower Keys this week?

Highs run 79–86°F over the next 7 days. No day has a strong chance of rain. The calmest day for a swim looks like Fri Oct 30.

What is the water temperature at Lower Keys in October?

The water at Lower Keys averages about 83°F (28°C) in October.

When is the water warmest at Lower Keys?

July is the warmest month, averaging 89°F. January is the coolest, at 74°F.

What is the best time of year to swim at Lower Keys?

The water averages 74°F or warmer from January to December. July is the warmest, at 89°F.

Conditions at beaches near Lower Keys

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

Sugarloaf Key conditions6 mi82°F
Big Pine Key conditions7 mi84°F
Bahia Honda conditions11 mi84°F
Stock Island conditions19 mi84°F
Key West conditions21 mi84°F
Sombrero Beach conditions23 mi83°F

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