Overcast, high near 83°. It might rain around 7 PM, 19% chance. All-day beach window. Breezy, up to 19 mph.
forecastRain OutlookOpen-Meteo
tap an hourTop rain chance is just 19% — 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
18 mph
from the NNE
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.
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
todayCurrents 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 observedBased on wind, water temperature and humidity. Nobody publishes a live count, so this is what conditions favour today.
No-see-umsUnlikely
13 mph breeze around sunset should keep them down.
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 July (89°), coolest around January (66°).
surf’s up (gently)
Tides are NOAA predictions (Sanibel Island station 8725520); 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 water at Sanibel Island is 77°F (25°C) today, 3°F cooler than the usual 81°F for October. For swimming it is comfortable for swimming. Waves are 2–3 ft (moderate). The air is 80°F, with windy 18 mph winds from the NNE. The UV index reaches 5 (moderate). The National Weather Service rip current risk is low.
The water warms about 2°F by Tue Nov 3.
The week ahead at Sanibel Island, 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.
| Day | Sky | High | Wind | Waves | UV | Rain | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | Showers | 83°F | 19 mph | 2.7 ft | 5 | 19% | 77°F |
| Thu Oct 29 | Cloudy | 85°F | 12 mph | 2.2 ft | 6 | 8% | 78°F |
| Fri Oct 30 | Drizzle | 81°F | 21 mph | 1.4 ft | 6 | 21% | 78°F |
| Sat Oct 31 | Drizzle | 81°F | 20 mph | 1.7 ft | 6 | 48% | 78°F |
| Sun Nov 1 | Drizzle | 78°F | 17 mph | 2.3 ft | 6 | 54% | 79°F |
| Mon Nov 2 | Thunderstorms | 78°F | 7 mph | 2.2 ft | 6 | 14% | 79°F |
| Tue Nov 3 | Sunny | 77°F | 6 mph | 1.6 ft | 6 | 6% | 79°F |
High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 8725520. 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.
| Day | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Shell window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | High 4:39 AM 1.9 | Low 1:19 PM 0.1 | High 7:33 PM 0.9 | Low 10:46 PM 0.8 | 12:04 PM–2:04 PM · best |
| Thu Oct 29 | High 5:20 AM 1.9 | Low 2:24 PM 0.1 | High 8:50 PM 0.9 | Low 11:27 PM 0.8 | 1:09 PM–3:09 PM |
| Fri Oct 30 | High 6:08 AM 1.8 | Low 3:32 PM 0.2 | High 10:09 PM 0.8 | — | 2:17 PM–4:17 PM |
| Sat Oct 31 | Low 12:46 AM 0.8 | High 7:05 AM 1.6 | Low 4:42 PM 0.2 | High 11:09 PM 0.9 | 3:27 PM–5:27 PM |
| Sun Nov 1 | Low 1:30 AM 0.8 | High 7:21 AM 1.4 | Low 4:46 PM 0.2 | High 10:53 PM 0.9 | 3:31 PM–5:31 PM |
| Mon Nov 2 | Low 3:07 AM 0.7 | High 9:11 AM 1.3 | Low 5:39 PM 0.3 | High 11:32 PM 1.0 | 4:24 PM–6:24 PM |
| Tue Nov 3 | Low 4:36 AM 0.6 | High 11:00 AM 1.2 | Low 6:19 PM 0.4 | — | 5:04 PM–7:04 PM |
The average sea temperature at Sanibel Island for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in July (89°F) and coolest in January (66°F). It averages 74°F or warmer, comfortable for most swimmers, in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November.
| Month | Water °F | Water °C | For swimming |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 66°F | 19°C | Chilly |
| February | 68°F | 20°C | Cool |
| March | 75°F | 24°C | Comfortable |
| April | 78°F | 25°C | Comfortable |
| May | 83°F | 28°C | Warm |
| June | 86°F | 30°C | Warm |
| July | 89°F | 32°C | Very warm |
| August | 89°F | 31°C | Very warm |
| September | 87°F | 31°C | Very warm |
| October (now) | 81°F | 27°C | Warm |
| November | 76°F | 24°C | Comfortable |
| December | 69°F | 21°C | Cool |
Rip currents. Today’s National Weather Service rip current risk is low. 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) has flagged nothing near Sanibel Island 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.
Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Sanibel Island 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. Today at Sanibel Island it’s moderate.
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 Sanibel Island it’s windy.
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.
77°F (25°C), 3°F cooler than the usual 81°F for October.
At 77°F the water is comfortable for swimming. Waves are 2–3 ft, which is moderate. The rip current risk is low.
2–3 ft, which is moderate. The wind is 18 mph from the NNE.
High tide is at 4:39 AM and 7:33 PM, and low tide is at 1:19 PM and 10:46 PM. Times are NOAA predictions.
The UV index peaks at 5 (moderate). Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.
The National Weather Service rates the rip current risk at Sanibel Island low 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 Sanibel Island this week.
The NOAA satellite shows moderate sargassum offshore.
Highs run 77–85°F over the next 7 days. Rain is likely on Sun Nov 1. The calmest day for a swim looks like Fri Oct 30.
The water at Sanibel Island averages about 81°F (27°C) in October.
July is the warmest month, averaging 89°F. January is the coolest, at 66°F.
The water averages 74°F or warmer from March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. July is the warmest, at 89°F.
The usual water temperature in October at the nearest beaches. Tap one for its live conditions.
| Captiva Island conditions | 7 mi | 81°F |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers Beach conditions | 9 mi | 81°F |
| Lovers Key State Park conditions | 15 mi | 81°F |
| Bonita Beach conditions | 18 mi | 81°F |
| Vanderbilt Beach conditions | 22 mi | 81°F |
| Boca Grande conditions | 23 mi | 81°F |
More for Sanibel Island: parking · sunset time tonight · things to do · US water temperatures today →