Water temperature · Florida
Sanibel water temperature
78°F26°C
No reading from the sensor in the last 12 hours: see the satellite reading.
Read Oct 30, 12:06 PM EDT at Fort Myers, 17 mi NE
The sea is 3°F cooler than usual for late October.
- Comfortable for most swimmers
The nearest sensor is in the Caloosahatchee River at Fort Myers, where the water warms and cools faster than the Gulf. The satellite reading off the beach is the better guide here.
The last 35 days
Daily satellite sea-surface temperature (NASA MUR, 1 km) at the nearest ocean point, 0.2 mi from town. Satellites read the top millimeter of water; a sensor a few feet down can differ by a degree or two.
Sanibel water temperature by month
Warmest in July (87°F on average), coolest in January (67°F). The water averages 75°F or more from April to November.
Bars: the 2016–2025 average of each month (outlined: this month). Lines: the coolest and warmest year’s monthly average.
Month-by-month numbers and what to wear
| Month | Average | In the water |
|---|---|---|
| January | 67°F 19°C | Cool: a 2 mm shorty or spring suit |
| February | 69°F 20°C | Cool: a 2 mm shorty or spring suit |
| March | 73°F 23°C | Comfortable for most swimmers |
| April | 77°F 25°C | Comfortable for most swimmers |
| May | 82°F 28°C | Warm: a swimsuit is plenty |
| June | 85°F 30°C | Warm: a swimsuit is plenty |
| July | 87°F 31°C | Warm: a swimsuit is plenty |
| August | 87°F 31°C | Warm: a swimsuit is plenty |
| September | 86°F 30°C | Warm: a swimsuit is plenty |
| October | 81°F 27°C | Warm: a swimsuit is plenty |
| November | 75°F 24°C | Comfortable for most swimmers |
| December | 70°F 21°C | Cool: a 2 mm shorty or spring suit |
Tides at Sanibel
Low tide leaves more beach; the water near shore warms fastest on a sunny incoming tide over the flats.
Questions
What is the water temperature in Sanibel today?
The nearest sensor, Fort Myers (17 mi away), read 78°F at Oct 30, 12:06 PM EDT. This page updates every hour.
Is the water warmer or colder than usual?
The satellite reading on Oct 28 was 76°F, 3°F cooler than usual for late October (79°F is the 2016–2025 average for the date).
When is the water warmest in Sanibel?
July, at about 87°F on average (2016–2025).
Is the water warm enough to swim in October?
The October average is 81°F: warm: a swimsuit is plenty.
Where the readings come from
The live reading is from Fort Myers (NOAA CO-OPS 8725520), 17 mi NE of Sanibel, checked every hour. The daily and monthly figures are NASA JPL’s Multi-scale Ultra-high Resolution (MUR) sea-surface temperature, a 1 km satellite analysis, read through NOAA CoastWatch. All sources