Beach Guide

Pensacola Beach Conditions Today

Pensacola Beach right now: water 77°F, surf 2–3 ft, wind 8 mph from the NE. Next low tide at 11:38 AM.

live · NOAA + Open-Meteo

yellow

2–3 ft

surf

Sunny, high near 79°. No real rain risk. All-day beach window.

forecast

Slide Through the Day

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12 PM

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76°

Air

76°

Feels

77°

Water

8 mph

Wind

5

UV

0%

Rain

Hour by Hour

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Rain OutlookOpen-Meteo

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6 AM10 AM2 PM6 PM9 PM

Top 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.

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

NESW

8 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.

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

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

Water Quality

bacteria testing

Water here is sampled by the Florida Healthy Beaches Program at the Park West - Soundside station (1.7 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 result

Source: Florida Department of Health

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
63
J
63
F
67
M
70
A
77
M
81
J
84
J
86
A
85
S
79
O
72
N
67
D

Warmest around August (86°), coolest around January (63°).

surf’s up (gently)

Tides are NOAA predictions (Pensacola Beach station 8729840); 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.

Pensacola Beach conditions today

The water at Pensacola Beach is 77°F (25°C) today, 2°F cooler than the usual 79°F for October. For swimming it is comfortable for swimming. Waves are 2–3 ft (moderate). The air is 73°F, with breezy 8 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 water holds steady around 76°F through Tue Nov 3.

Pensacola Beach 7-day forecast

The week ahead at Pensacola Beach, 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
TodayPartly cloudy79°F13 mph2.1 ft60%76°F
Thu Oct 29Cloudy79°F15 mph2 ft60%76°F
Fri Oct 30Cloudy82°F13 mph2 ft40%76°F
Sat Oct 31Thunderstorms78°F14 mph2.6 ft436%76°F
Sun Nov 1Thunderstorms81°F10 mph4.5 ft555%76°F
Mon Nov 2Cloudy82°F6 mph5.3 ft55%76°F
Tue Nov 3Cloudy76°F11 mph5.8 ft513%76°F

Tide times at Pensacola Beach

High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 8729840. 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 12:06 AM 1.9Low 11:38 AM 0.0——10:23 AM–12:23 PM
Thu Oct 29High 1:07 AM 1.9Low 12:51 PM -0.1——11:36 AM–1:36 PM · best
Fri Oct 30High 2:09 AM 1.9Low 2:03 PM -0.1——12:48 PM–2:48 PM
Sat Oct 31High 3:09 AM 1.9Low 3:05 PM -0.1——1:50 PM–3:50 PM
Sun Nov 1High 3:10 AM 1.8Low 2:54 PM 0.0——1:39 PM–3:39 PM
Mon Nov 2High 4:13 AM 1.6Low 3:28 PM 0.2——2:13 PM–4:13 PM
Tue Nov 3High 5:25 AM 1.4Low 3:46 PM 0.4——2:31 PM–4:31 PM

Pensacola Beach water temperature by month

The average sea temperature at Pensacola Beach for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in August (86°F) and coolest in January (63°F). It averages 74°F or warmer, comfortable for most swimmers, in May, June, July, August, September, October.

MonthWater °FWater °CFor swimming
January63°F17°CChilly
February63°F17°CChilly
March67°F20°CChilly
April70°F21°CCool
May77°F25°CComfortable
June81°F27°CWarm
July84°F29°CWarm
August86°F30°CVery warm
September85°F30°CWarm
October (now)79°F26°CComfortable
November72°F22°CCool
December67°F20°CChilly

Staying safe at Pensacola Beach

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 Pensacola 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 Pensacola Beach is sampled by the Florida Healthy Beaches Program at the Park West - Soundside station. Official sampling results →

Dogs. Whether dogs are allowed here depends on which part of the beach you are on.

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

Pensacola Beach conditions FAQ

What is the water temperature at Pensacola Beach today?

77°F (25°C), 2°F cooler than the usual 79°F for October.

Is the water warm enough to swim at Pensacola Beach today?

At 77°F the water is comfortable for swimming. Waves are 2–3 ft, which is moderate. The rip current risk is moderate.

How big are the waves at Pensacola Beach today?

2–3 ft, which is moderate. The wind is 8 mph from the NE.

What time is high tide at Pensacola Beach today?

High tide is at 12:06 AM, and low tide is at 11:38 AM. Times are NOAA predictions.

What is the UV index at Pensacola Beach today?

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.

Is there a rip current risk at Pensacola Beach today?

The National Weather Service rates the rip current risk at Pensacola Beach 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 Pensacola Beach right now?

Florida's state sampling (FWC) has flagged nothing near Pensacola Beach this week.

Is there seaweed (sargassum) at Pensacola Beach?

The NOAA satellite shows moderate sargassum offshore.

What is the beach weather at Pensacola Beach this week?

Highs run 76–82°F over the next 7 days. Rain is likely on Sun Nov 1. The calmest day for a swim looks like Fri Oct 30.

What is the water temperature at Pensacola Beach in October?

The water at Pensacola Beach averages about 79°F (26°C) in October.

When is the water warmest at Pensacola Beach?

August is the warmest month, averaging 86°F. January is the coolest, at 63°F.

What is the best time of year to swim at Pensacola Beach?

The water averages 74°F or warmer from May, June, July, August, September and October. August is the warmest, at 86°F.

Conditions at beaches near Pensacola Beach

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

Perdido Key conditions16 mi77°F
Orange Beach conditions25 mi77°F
Gulf Shores conditions33 mi78°F
Fort Walton Beach conditions33 mi79°F
Destin conditions40 mi78°F
Dauphin Island conditions55 mi76°F

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