Beach Conditions Guide

Some beaches don't publish official lifeguard flags. For those, Beach Watch shows a few key measurements as coloured circles — green, yellow, red — so you can read conditions at a glance.

These are a conditions guide, not lifeguard flags. They are computed from weather and marine data, each shown on its own — not combined into a single safety rating, and never a substitute for local advice or on-beach signage. Always check conditions in person before entering the water. For the official Florida flag system, see the Beach Safety Guide.

What each colour means

Red is reserved for wave height. The other indicators describe comfort or sun exposure rather than water hazard, so they use orange or blue instead — a red circle always means one thing: the surf is strong. Each circle describes a single measurement on its own; they are never combined into an overall rating.

Waves

Significant wave height — the only indicator that uses red

Green	under 2 ft (0.6 m)	Small surf
Yellow	2–4 ft (0.6–1.2 m)	Moderate surf
Red	over 4 ft (1.2 m)	Strong surf

Wind

Wind speed

Green	12 mph or less	Light
Yellow	13–20 mph	Breezy
Orange	over 20 mph	Windy

Water

Sea-surface temperature

Blue	68 °F or below	Cold
Yellow	above 68 to 74 °F	Cool
Green	above 74 to 90 °F	Comfortable
Orange	above 90 °F	Very warm

UV

UV index (WHO scale) — today's peak, not the current hour

Green	2 or less	Low
Yellow	3–7	Moderate to high
Orange	8 or above	Very high — protection needed

How current is each reading?

They aren't all refreshed on the same clock. For beaches sourced from Copernicus, waves and water temperature are read from the marine model close to the current hour, while wind and UV come from an atmospheric forecast refreshed about every four hours — so those two can be a few hours old even when the wave and water readings are fresh. The UV circle shows today's peak, which is why it can read high in the evening when the sun has already gone down.

Wave height reference

A fuller picture of what a given wave height feels like in the water.

Wave height	Category	Typical conditions
0–0.3 m (0–1 ft)	Very Low	Almost flat; ideal for young children and floating.
0.3–0.6 m (1–2 ft)	Low	Gentle waves; easy swimming, beginner bodyboarding.
0.6–1.2 m (2–4 ft)	Medium	Noticeable surf; fun for experienced swimmers and beginner surfers. Can knock you off your feet.
1.2–1.8 m (4–6 ft)	High	Strong surf; difficult swimming, experienced surfers only.
1.8–3 m (6–10 ft)	Very High	Dangerous rip currents and powerful breakers. Not suitable for casual swimming.
Over 3 m (10+ ft)	Extreme	Surfing experts only; hazardous for everyone else.

For swimming: 🟢 Best under 0.6 m (2 ft) · 🟡 Use caution 0.6–1.2 m (2–4 ft) · 🔴 Avoid unless very experienced over 1.2 m (4 ft).

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