
Our Blog
All things Siesta Key. Stories, news, and event information about Sarasota, Florida's beautiful beach.
Is the Water in the Gulf Cold?
Posted by Best Western Siesta Key onNovember 30, 2020 in General, The Beach, Water Events.

Even as the U.S. crawls into its winter months, Florida’s tropical climate makes it a great escape from cold weather, allowing people who are used to the below-freezing temperatures up north to have some fun in the sun this holiday season. Northerners coming down to visit the white sand beaches of Florida’s west coast also raises the question of what temperature in the Gulf of Mexico is too cold, and what the optimal temperatures for swimming are. The experts at Best Western Siesta Key want to make sure that people always know what temperature in the gulf is too cold for swimming, what temperature is good for different ocean activities, and if make makes a difference that some people are used to cold weather.
How Cold Is Too Cold?
The main topic this time of the year is what temperature in the Gulf of Mexico is too cold for humans to be swimming and doing other activities in. The National Centers for Environmental Information states that any temperature from a 90 to 65 degrees is fine for swimming, although most people feel more comfortable in the temperature from 70 to 78 degrees. Any lower than 70 degrees though, and the body is at risk of hypothermia, where the body loses its heat due to the cold water. According to the experts at Best Western Siesta Key, a good way to check gulf temperatures is to look at the NCEI web page and check the recent water temperatures for your area.
Are Certain Activities Better in Colder Temperatures?
It is always important to consider what type of activity you will be doing when going out into the Gulf. For leisurely swimming a wide range of temperatures will do, as you are not exerting a lot of energy. When the intensity of the activity increases, the range of temperatures you should be in decreases. High heat causes easy exhaustion and dehydration, while being extremely active in cold water can cause a faster loss of body heat. For high intensity swimming the temperature should be between 78 and 82 degrees F. For activities like fishing where fish only remain active in certain temperatures, it is important to pay attention to the thermometer, the ideal temperatures for fishing in the gulf are between 68 and 76 degrees.

Sandy Boardwalk
What If I’m Used to Cold Weather?
An important question for northerners is if it makes a difference in how low the temperature is when they are used to the cold weather. It is important to realize that no matter if you feel comfortable in the water if the temperature is below 60-65 degrees, your body is still losing heat, and could potentially be affected by hypothermia. Always make sure to check the temperatures in these winter months before going swimming.
The locals and staff at Best Western Siesta Key want everyone to have a fun, safe, and healthy holiday season, and always recommend checking the temperature of the Gulf before doing any water activites.
Categories
- Aquarium
- Beach
- Best Western Siesta Key
- Boating
- Botanical Gardens
- Circus
- Dining
- Dog Beaches
- Dog Parks
- Dog-Friendly
- Dolphin Sightings
- Downtown Sarasota
- Events
- Fishing
- Florida Nature Trails
- Food
- Fun Facts
- Fun for Kids
- General
- Golfing
- Gulf Gate
- Gulf of Mexico
- Historic Sarasota
- Hotels
- Kayaking
- Longboat Key
- Marine Wildlife
- News
- Nightlife
- Parks
- Playgrounds
- Relaxation
- Sarasota
- Sarasota Bikes
- Sarasota Dog Beaches
- Sarasota Dog Parks
- Sarasota Hiking
- Sarasota Museums
- Sarasota Restaurants
- Sarasota Wildlife
- Shopping
- Siesta Key
- Siesta Key Beach
- Siesta Key Coffee Shops
- Siesta Key Restaurants
- St. Armands Circle
- The Beach
- Things To Do
- Transportation
- Travel Tips
- Water Activities
- Water Events
- Water Sports
- White Quartz Sand
Archives
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- August 2018
- May 2018
- January 2018
- August 2017
- July 2017
- April 2017
- September 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016