What is the water temperature in Perdido Key today?

Rough monthly averages for the Gulf at Perdido Key:

• Winter (Dec–Feb): low-to-mid 60s — too cold for most people to swim.
• Spring (Mar–May): climbs from the high 60s into the high 70s; swimmable by May.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): mid 80s, often peaking in the upper 80s — bath-warm.
• Fall (Sep–Nov): holds summer warmth into October, then cools through November.

We display the current Gulf water temperature, pulled from the nearest offshore buoy, on the Beach Today page for both sides of the state line. It updates throughout the day, so it's the right place to check before a swim.

Upper 80s is bath water — great for kids and floating, less refreshing than you'd hope on a 95° afternoon. Low 80s is the sweet spot most people mean when they say perfect. Mid-70s is fine for a swim and a little bracing to walk into. Below about 70, most visitors are wading, not swimming, and locals are wearing a spring wetsuit to surf. The Gulf also holds its heat longer than the air, so an October afternoon can be cool on the sand and lovely in the water.

Two things move it fast. Days of hard offshore (northerly) wind in summer can push the warm surface water out and pull cooler water up from below — a real, if uncommon, summer surprise. And a big rain event dumps cool, brown river water along the beach for a day or two. Neither lasts. The reading on Beach Today comes from a nearby buoy and updates through the day; if it looks odd, that's usually why. Month-by-month averages are on the water temperature by month page.