Florida's Ocean Temperatures in Spring
The tables below give the monthly averages for ocean temperatures at Florida beaches in degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Celsius for March, April and May. The list of beaches runs from south to north along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
The ocean is warm enough during spring at beaches in southern Florida for most people to enjoy swimming.
South along the coast, from Stuart Beach (located on the Atlantic between Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach) and from Naples on the Gulf side, the ocean averages at least 70 °F (21 °C) from March onwards.
Water temperatures climb steadily throughout spring, gaining as much as 15 °F (8 °C) between March and May. By May, the water is as warm as a heated swimming pool along the entire coast of Florida.
Key West and Miami tie for Florida's warmest water during March and April. In May, Naples catches up with those two hot spots.
The ocean's generally a few degrees warmer in spring on Florida's Gulf coast compared to the Atlantic Ocean.
| March | April | May | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Ocean | |||
| Miami Beach | 75 | 78 | 81 |
| Stuart Beach | 70 | 73 | 77 |
| Daytona Beach | 65 | 72 | 77 |
| St Augustine Beach | 61 | 70 | 76 |
| Fernandina Beach | 62 | 70 | 77 |
| Gulf of Mexico | |||
| Key West | 75 | 78 | 82 |
| Naples | 71 | 77 | 82 |
| St. Petersburg | 68 | 74 | 80 |
| Cedar Key | 66 | 73 | 80 |
| Pensacola | 63 | 71 | 78 |
| March | April | May | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Ocean | |||
| Miami Beach | 24 | 26 | 27 |
| Stuart Beach | 21 | 23 | 25 |
| Daytona Beach | 18 | 22 | 25 |
| St Augustine Beach | 16 | 21 | 24 |
| Fernandina Beach | 17 | 21 | 25 |
| Gulf of Mexico | |||
| Key West | 24 | 26 | 28 |
| Naples | 22 | 25 | 28 |
| St. Petersburg | 20 | 23 | 27 |
| Cedar Key | 19 | 23 | 27 |
| Pensacola | 17 | 22 | 26 |
These coastal water temperatures are averages compiled by the National Oceanographic Data Center. Actual ocean temperatures do vary from year to year depending upon the weather and the flow of ocean currents.