Is there red tide in Perdido Key right now?
Red tide is occasional here, not a constant — Perdido Key and Orange Beach can go long stretches with none. When a bloom is present it can cause respiratory irritation and fish kills. Because it comes and goes, you should check the current status before a trip rather than assume. Florida's FWC publishes live sampling data, which we surface on the Beach Today page.
What red tide is
Red tide is a bloom of the algae Karenia brevis. At high concentrations it can discolor the water, kill fish, and release a toxin that drifts ashore on the wind, causing coughing and scratchy throats — usually mild and temporary for healthy people, but worth avoiding if you have asthma or respiratory issues.
How to check the current status
We pull Florida FWC's red-tide sampling status onto the Beach Today page. If a bloom is active, that's where it will show. You can also look for the obvious on-site signs: lots of dead fish on the sand, an unusual tickle in your throat, or other beachgoers coughing.
If red tide is present
It's usually patchy — one beach can be fine while another is irritating, and conditions shift with the wind. Sensitive groups should stay out of the water and off the beach during an active bloom; most people are fine to move to a less-affected stretch.
Reviewed June 2026. Conditions change daily — for live numbers see Beach Today.