Ocean Water Temperatures in Winter at Florida's Beaches

The tables below give the monthly averages for ocean temperatures at Florida beaches in degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Celsius for December, January and February.

The list of beaches runs from south to north along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

During winter, the warmest ocean water along the continental United States is usually at Miami Beach in the Atlantic Ocean. The water temperature off Miami averages 72 °F (22 °C) over winter. The ocean at Miami remains the country's hottest, outside of tropical islands, throughout December, January and February.

The Gulf waters cool a little earlier in winter compared with the Atlantic. But temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico also start rising sooner in late winter. So January is the coolest month of the year for Gulf coast water. But north of Miami, the Atlantic Ocean grows even colder in February.

In any winter month, as you travel north along the Atlantic or Gulf coasts, the ocean steadily becomes cooler. The coolest water of the year for Florida occurs at the state's northeast corner in January and February. Then the ocean at Fernandina Beach is usually around 55 °F (13 °C).

Actual ocean temperatures do of course vary from year to year depending upon the weather and the flow of ocean currents.

These coastal water temperatures are averages compiled by the US National Oceanographic Data Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.