Average Weather and Water Temp

Sometimes when we are planning dive trips we are looking for a place where the water and air will be warm at the time we will be there. I compiled this chart from many sources for some of the places I like to dive. Hopefully many of you will be able to make use of the information posted here.

The maps above are not real time. They are maps from June, 2013.

Island   Jan     Feb     Mar     Apr     May     Jun     Jul     Aug     Sep     Oct     Nov     Dec  
  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain  Ave. Water Temp Ave. High Air temp Ave. Rain 
Florida Keys 69 70 1.3 70 71 2 75 73 2.3 79 77 3.6 83 80 4.1 86 82 4.5 87 84 4.8 87 84 5.1 86 83 5.3 82 79 4.6 76 74 4.2 72 71 3.8
Bahamas North 73 74 2.1 74 74 1.8 75 76 1.7 77 80 1.9 79 82 3 80 85 3.5 84 86 4.5 86 83 6.2 85 80 6.9 81 77 4.3 79 73 2.7 75 71 2
Bahamas South 74 76 1.9 74 78 1.6 75 74 1.4 76 85 1.9 78 85 4.8 81 86 4.7 83 86 6.1 86 85 6.3 80 83 7.4 78 80 8.7 75 75 2.3 74 72 1.6
Turks & Caicos 74 81 1.8 74 82 1.8 76 84 1.6 78 85 2 80 87 4.5 82 88 4.4 84 90 6.2 84 90 6.6 85 86 8 80 85 8.2 77 84 2.2 74 80 1.5
Puerto Rico 79 83 3 79 84 2.2 79 85 22.3 79 86 3.7 81 87 6.1 82 89 4.4 82 88 4.5 82 89 5.3 84 89 5.3 84 88 5.6 82 86 5.8 81 84 4.7
U.S.V.I. 79 84 3.1 79 84 1.8 79 85 2.1 79 86 3.5 81 87 6.5 82 88 3.8 82 89 3.9 82 89 4.8 83 89 5.1 84 88 4.8 82 87 5.1 81 85 4.3
Caymans 78 80 1 80 80 0 80 82 1 80 83 3 83 85 9 83 86 5 85 87 4 85 87 6 86 86 7 84 85 8 81 83 4 80 82 3
Cozumel 78 80 5.3 79 80 1.7 80 80 2.1 80 80 1.5 81 85 3.5 81 85 5.4 82 90 2.3 83 90 4.3 83 85 8.8 81 80 8.7 79 80 5.1 78 80 3.7
Belize 78 80 4.5 77 80 2.6 77 83 1.9 79 85 1.7 80 87 4.1 83 87 8.6 84 86 8.1 84 86 7 85 86 9.5 84 84 10 82 82 7 79 80 6.7
Roatan 79 81 8.6 79 82 4.7 79 83 3.2 79 85 2.3 81 86 2.7 83 86 5.8 85 86 10.4 85 86 6.9 85 87 6.1 83 87 17.8 81 84 16.4 81 84 14
Saba/St. Kits 78 82 3.2 78 82 1.9 79 83 2 80 84 2.8 80 85 3.7 81 88 3.1 82 88 3.9 84 88 4.9 84 88 5.2 82 87 4.6 79 85 5 78 83 3.6
ABCs 79 84 2.1 80 85 1.1 80 86 0.7 81 87 0.9 81 88 0.8 82 88 0.8 82 89 1.3 82 89 1.7 81 89 1.7 80 88 3.2 80 87 3.6 79 85 3.7
                                                                         
Cold <74 NO! Don't dive in water this cold unless you have a very good reason. Instead, find a nice warm sunny beach or bar to pass the time.                               
Cool 74-77 Maybe 2 dives a day and the rest of the day in the sun to warm up                                                  
Warm 78-79 With 3/2 wetsuit we can be comfortable for 3 or 4 dives                                                      
Warmer 80-82 5 dives: no problem                                                                
Hot >82 Skin or swim suit is all I will need                                                            

Average Monthly water Temperatures on Florida's Gulf Coast

Location   JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 
Key West FL (average degrees in Fahrenheit)  

69

70

75

78

82

85

87

87

86

82

76

72

Naples FL (averages)  

66

66

71

77

82

86

87

87

86

81

73

68

St. Petersburg FL (averages)  

62

64

68

74

80

84

86

86

84

78

70

64

Cedar Key FL (averages)  

58

60

66

73

80

84

86

86

83

76

66

60

Pensacola FL (averages)  

56

58

63

71

78

84

85

86

82

74

65

58

The above data is from the National Oceanographic data center. For current water temperatures you can visit their site at http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/egof.html.

 

So, how thick should my wet suit be for these different temperatures?

Here is guide to suggest what you might want to pack:

Water Temperature

For Warm-Blooded Divers

For Divers Prone to Cold

85 Degrees F (29 C) and Above

Dive Skin

2 mm to 1 mm shorty

80 to 84 Degrees (26-28 C)

2 mm shorty to dive skin

2 mm to 1 mm fullsuit

73 to 79 Degrees (22-25 C)

3 mm fullsuit to 2 mm shorty

5 mm to 3 mm fullsuit

66 to 72 Degrees (18-21 C)

5 mm to 3 mm fuillsuit

7 mm to 5 mm fullsuit

50 to 65 Degrees (10-17 C)

8/7 mm semidry to 7 mm wetsuit

Drysuit

Below 50 Degrees (Below 10 C)

8/7 mm semidry or drysuit

Enjoy the water from the nearest coffee shop.

To see pictures from other dive trips, click on the button below to go to my SCUBA page.

It has links to other pages of pictures and dive reports from many different dive trips over the years. 

                         Scuba Diving Page
 

Hit Counter