What is the best time of day to snorkel in Dry Tortugas?

Snorkel in daylight, if possible in the morning before the wind picks up. Currents are often weaker near high slack tide. SnorkelForecast scores each daylight hour for Dry Tortugas.

What is the best tide for snorkeling?

High slack tide, within about an hour of the high-tide peak, often has weaker currents. Strong low tides and tidal flow near channels or headlands reduce the score.

Dry Tortugas Snorkel Report Today

USA · Updated Mon 09:18 (EDT) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Go in the best window Data updated Mon 09:18 (EDT)

Dry Tortugas has a usable snorkeling window around Mon 16:00. The main thing to watch is sea temperature.

Right now (forecast)

Good · 6.3/10

Mon 09:00 (EDT)

Later today

Good · 5.8/10

Mon 16:00 (EDT)

Next three days

Good · 6.6/10

Tue 08:00 (EDT)

Model estimates using Open-Meteo; not observations or safety guarantees. Check official advisories and conditions at the beach.

Score: 5.8/10

Best time: Mon 16:00

Main risk: Sea Temperature

Best morning signal: Mon 11:00 (Fair).

Best afternoon signal: Mon 16:00 (Good). Peak afternoon wind is about 7.7 m/s.

Email me when it is good

Also see the best places to snorkel in Florida, ranked on our stored historical scores.

Sunrise

07:19

Sunset

19:28

Water

30.9°C

Max air

28.9°C

Sky

Cloudy

100% cloud

Good model window in the next 72 hours

Next good model window: Mon 16:00 (20% of the next 72h meets the model threshold)

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Monday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Sea temperature

Tuesday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Sea temperature

Wednesday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Sea temperature

Best available hours

The next good model window starts at Mon 16:00.

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

Sea temperature (71 hours)
Tide/current (53 hours)
Darkness (36 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

Drift estimate from wind, swell, current and warm water.

Low · 34/100

Low peak drift risk around Mon 16:00.

warm water supports seasonal jellyfish activity; surface drift/current is noticeable; local shoreline exposure is not mapped yet.

Sightings override the model: if you see small purple jellyfish with long trailing tentacles, treat them as sting-capable and give them space.

Upcoming high tides

Next early morning high tide: Tue 07:00

Tue 07:00, Tue 21:00, Wed 21:00

Nearby alternatives in USA

Looe Key

149 km away

✅ Good

Bahia Honda

161 km away

✅ Good

Key Largo

250 km away

✅ Good

Crystal River

476 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Mon 09:00 – Thu 09:00 (EDT)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.73 around Mon 16:00; 12 of 24 hours are good, fair, or excellent.

Score trend, higher is better. Excellent ≥ 0.72, good 0.55–0.72, fair 0.35–0.55.

Conditions (24h trends)

Tap a chart to load just that series.

24/24 sampled hours stay at or below 0.36m (range 0.2m to 0.32m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 24/24 sampled hours (range 2.3 to 5.35m/s).

Tides range from -0.31m to 0.13m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview

Mon 09:00 Good 🌟 Good

Mon 10:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Mon 11:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Mon 12:00 Good 🌟 Good

Mon 13:00 Good 🌟 Good

Mon 14:00 Excellent ✅ Excellent

Mon 15:00 Good 🌟 Good

Mon 16:00 Excellent ✅ Excellent

Mon 17:00 Excellent ✅ Excellent

Mon 18:00 Good 🌟 Good

Mon 19:00 Good 🌟 Good

Mon 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 05:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 06:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 07:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 08:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 09:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 10:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 11:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 12:00 Good 🌟 Good

Tue 13:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 14:00 Good 🌟 Good

Tue 15:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 16:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 17:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 18:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 19:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Tue 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 05:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 06:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 07:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 08:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 09:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 10:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 11:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 12:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 13:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 14:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 15:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 16:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Wed 17:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 18:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 19:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Wed 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 05:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 06:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 07:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 08:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Scoring methodology (for technical users)

We score each hour from 0 to 1 using daylight and these weighted components:

Wave height (35%): best below 0.36m, then decreases as it rises.
Wind speed (25%): best below 5.4m/s, lower is better.
Sea surface temperature (15%): best within 20.6°C to 30.4°C.
Tide and currents (15%): best around slack/high-tide windows.
Daylight (10%): visibility is better in daylight, so night hours score lower.

Detailed hourly data table

Time	Wave (m)	Wind (m/s)	Sea temp (°C)	Status
Mon 09:00	0.20 · good	3.48 · good	31.30 · out of range	Good
Mon 10:00	0.22 · good	3.86 · good	31.30 · out of range	Fair
Mon 11:00	0.22 · good	4.05 · good	31.40 · out of range	Fair
Mon 12:00	0.22 · good	4.10 · good	31.40 · out of range	Good
Mon 13:00	0.22 · good	4.05 · good	31.40 · out of range	Good
Mon 14:00	0.22 · good	3.98 · good	31.50 · out of range	Excellent
Mon 15:00	0.22 · good	4.01 · good	31.50 · out of range	Good
Mon 16:00	0.24 · good	2.30 · good	31.50 · out of range	Excellent
Mon 17:00	0.24 · good	2.43 · good	31.50 · out of range	Excellent
Mon 18:00	0.26 · good	3.01 · good	31.50 · out of range	Good
Mon 19:00	0.30 · good	3.51 · good	31.40 · out of range	Good
Mon 20:00	0.32 · good	3.51 · good	31.40 · out of range	Poor
Mon 21:00	0.32 · good	3.31 · good	31.40 · out of range	Poor
Mon 22:00	0.30 · good	4.25 · good	31.40 · out of range	Poor
Mon 23:00	0.30 · good	4.53 · good	31.40 · out of range	Poor
Tue 00:00	0.30 · good	5.35 · good	31.40 · out of range	Poor
Tue 01:00	0.28 · good	4.06 · good	31.30 · out of range	Poor
Tue 02:00	0.28 · good	4.10 · good	31.30 · out of range	Poor
Tue 03:00	0.28 · good	4.23 · good	31.30 · out of range	Poor
Tue 04:00	0.30 · good	4.18 · good	31.30 · out of range	Poor
Tue 05:00	0.30 · good	4.22 · good	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Tue 06:00	0.30 · good	4.37 · good	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Tue 07:00	0.26 · good	4.94 · good	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Tue 08:00	0.26 · good	4.81 · good	31.20 · out of range	Fair
Tue 09:00	0.26 · good	4.22 · good	31.20 · out of range	Fair
Tue 10:00	0.28 · good	3.64 · good	31.20 · out of range	Fair
Tue 11:00	0.28 · good	3.40 · good	31.30 · out of range	Fair
Tue 12:00	0.28 · good	3.64 · good	31.30 · out of range	Good
Tue 13:00	0.30 · good	3.01 · good	31.40 · out of range	Fair
Tue 14:00	0.30 · good	3.54 · good	31.40 · out of range	Good
Tue 15:00	0.44 · high	4.44 · good	31.40 · out of range	Fair
Tue 16:00	0.46 · high	5.32 · good	31.40 · out of range	Fair
Tue 17:00	0.48 · high	6.02 · high	31.40 · out of range	Fair
Tue 18:00	0.50 · high	6.33 · high	31.40 · out of range	Fair
Tue 19:00	0.50 · high	5.20 · good	31.30 · out of range	Fair
Tue 20:00	0.52 · high	6.82 · high	31.30 · out of range	Poor
Tue 21:00	0.58 · high	7.34 · high	31.30 · out of range	Poor
Tue 22:00	0.64 · high	8.85 · high	31.30 · out of range	Poor
Tue 23:00	0.70 · high	7.79 · high	31.30 · out of range	Poor
Wed 00:00	0.72 · high	6.93 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 01:00	0.72 · high	7.03 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 02:00	0.74 · high	7.81 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 03:00	0.76 · high	7.73 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 04:00	0.76 · high	7.75 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Wed 05:00	0.78 · high	8.28 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Wed 06:00	0.80 · high	7.64 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Wed 07:00	0.78 · high	7.16 · high	31.00 · out of range	Poor
Wed 08:00	0.76 · high	7.63 · high	31.00 · out of range	Poor
Wed 09:00	0.76 · high	7.85 · high	31.00 · out of range	Poor
Wed 10:00	0.76 · high	7.75 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Wed 11:00	0.78 · high	7.22 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Wed 12:00	0.76 · high	7.07 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Wed 13:00	0.74 · high	7.02 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 14:00	0.72 · high	6.72 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 15:00	0.70 · high	6.93 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 16:00	0.68 · high	6.58 · high	31.20 · out of range	Fair
Wed 17:00	0.66 · high	6.02 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 18:00	0.68 · high	5.55 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 19:00	0.72 · high	6.67 · high	31.20 · out of range	Fair
Wed 20:00	0.74 · high	6.84 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 21:00	0.74 · high	6.74 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 22:00	0.76 · high	7.16 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Wed 23:00	0.76 · high	7.78 · high	31.20 · out of range	Poor
Thu 00:00	0.78 · high	8.13 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Thu 01:00	0.80 · high	7.86 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Thu 02:00	0.82 · high	7.38 · high	31.10 · out of range	Poor
Thu 03:00	0.82 · high	6.87 · high	31.00 · out of range	Poor
Thu 04:00	0.82 · high	7.40 · high	31.00 · out of range	Poor
Thu 05:00	0.82 · high	8.12 · high	31.00 · out of range	Poor
Thu 06:00	0.82 · high	7.12 · high	31.00 · out of range	Poor
Thu 07:00	0.90 · high	5.98 · high	30.90 · out of range	Poor
Thu 08:00	0.90 · high	6.22 · high	30.90 · out of range	Fair