Salty Forecast

Paradise Coast

Matlacha · Pine Island Water Temperature

Matlacha Pass & Pine Island Sound

The live reading is unavailable right now. The August average at Matlacha · Pine Island is 89°F, typically between 85°F and 92°F.

Matlacha · Pine Island water temperature by month

Averaged from 3 years of daily sea-surface temperature (2023–2025). The range column is the coolest and warmest daily average recorded in that month over the period — a guide to how much any given year can differ, not a record high and low.

MonthAverageRangeSwimming
January65°F6070°FBracing
February70°F6376°FCool but comfortable
March74°F6979°FCool but comfortable
April78°F7582°FWarm
May84°F7889°FVery warm
June87°F8389°FVery warm
July89°F8691°FBath water
Augustnow89°F8592°FBath water
September87°F8489°FVery warm
October81°F7787°FWarm
November75°F7080°FWarm
December69°F6574°FCool but comfortable

Warmest on average in July at 89°F; coolest in January at 65°F.

What moves the water temperature here

The Gulf shelf off this coast is shallow, which is why the water swings so much more between summer and winter than open ocean at the same latitude does. Shallow water heats fast and gives that heat up fast: a single strong winter cold front can pull the inshore bays several degrees down in a couple of days, while the beaches a mile offshore barely move. Wind direction matters too — a sustained offshore breeze can pull cooler water up from below and drop the beach temperature noticeably in a morning.

Inshore bays, canals and flats run warmer than the beach through the summer and colder through the winter, for the same reason. The reading above is for the open water at Matlacha · Pine Island; expect the back bays to be a few degrees either side of it depending on the season.

Common questions

What is the water temperature at Matlacha · Pine Island right now?
The August average at Matlacha · Pine Island is 89°F, usually somewhere between 85°F and 92°F. The live reading at the top of this page updates through the day.
Is the water warm enough to swim at Matlacha · Pine Island in August?
August averages 89°F at Matlacha · Pine Island, which most people would call bath water. Warmer than a heated pool. No cooling effect at all, and warm water like this holds less oxygen for the fish.
When is the water warmest at Matlacha · Pine Island?
July is the warmest month on average at 89°F, and January the coolest at 65°F. 8 months of the year average 75°F or above.
Why does the water temperature change so quickly here?
The Gulf shelf off this coast is shallow, so it heats and cools far faster than deep open ocean. A strong winter cold front can pull the inshore water down several degrees in a couple of days, and a sustained offshore wind can drop beach temperatures in a single morning by pulling cooler water up from below.

More for Matlacha · Pine Island

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