Best time to dive Florida Keys
Diveable year-round; best May–September with calm, warm seas and visibility that can exceed 30 m. Winter water drops to the low 20s °C with choppier seas.
Peak season: May–August
Overall diving, month by month
Balanced scoring · forecasts include the 2026/27 El Niño outlook
Confidence: Nov medium · Dec high · Jan medium · Feb medium · Mar medium · Apr medium · May medium · Jun medium · Jul medium · Aug medium · Sep medium · Oct low · Nov low · Dec medium
What's good when
Each attribute scored 0–10 for every month
| Nov2026 | Dec | Jan2027 | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelagic & big animals | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Macro life | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Coral & reef health | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Visibility | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Water temperature | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Weather & sea state | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Operations & access | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Wreck diving | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Climate outlook
How this year's forecast differs from a typical year
- Weather & sea state +1.3 · El Niño suppresses Atlantic hurricanes; La Niña tends to bring more (Nov 2026 – November 2027)
- Coral & reef health -1.6 · Late-summer bleaching risk in the year after a strong El Niño (Jul 2027 – November 2027)
Water temperature & visibility
| Month | Water | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | 26.0 °C (79 °F) | 15–25 m |
| December 2026 | 24.0 °C (75 °F) | 15–25 m |
| January 2027 | 22.5 °C (73 °F) | 15–25 m |
| February 2027 | 22.5 °C (73 °F) | 15–25 m |
| March 2027 | 23.5 °C (74 °F) | 15–25 m |
| April 2027 | 25.5 °C (78 °F) | 20–30 m |
| May 2027 | 27.5 °C (82 °F) | 20–30 m |
| June 2027 | 29.0 °C (84 °F) | 20–30 m |
| July 2027 | 30.0 °C (86 °F) | 20–30 m |
| August 2027 | 30.5 °C (87 °F) | 20–30 m |
| September 2027 | 30.0 °C (86 °F) | 15–25 m |
| October 2027 | 28.5 °C (83 °F) | 15–25 m |
| November 2027 | 26.0 °C (79 °F) | 15–25 m |
| December 2027 | 24.0 °C (75 °F) | 15–25 m |
Marine life calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| goliath grouper | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| nurse shark | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| spotted eagle ray | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| turtles | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Peak = best odds · ● = regularly seen · blank = unlikely. Calendar months, every year.
About the diving
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Current strength
- 3 / 5
- Luxury level
- 5 / 5
- Typical depth
- 5–30 m
- Max depth of interest
- 40 m
- Dive styles
- Day boat
- Suggested certification
- Open Water (deep wrecks: Advanced)
- Nearest airport
- MIA
- Snorkelling
- Good
- Known for
- goliath grouper, nurse shark, spotted eagle ray, turtles
Famous sites: Spiegel Grove · Duane · Vandenberg · Molasses Reef
Season notes & sources
- Diveable year-round; best May–September with calm, warm seas and visibility that can exceed 30 m. Winter water drops to the low 20s °C with choppier seas.
- El Niño conditions elevate bleaching risk on Florida's reef, which suffered heavily in the 2023 marine heatwave.
Sources
- Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (Scuba Diving)
- El Niño conditions elevate coral bleaching risks on Florida's reef (Keys Weekly)
- Uncertainties ahead as 2026 Atlantic hurricane season starts in El Niño year (Caribbean Today)
- Will October end the Atlantic's historic hurricane pause? (WLRN, Oct 2026)