Best Time to Dive in the Florida Keys
3 dive areas, each scored on its own. The season peaks March–July at Dry Tortugas and Key West, and August–September at Key Largo. You can dive from the shore at Key Largo; the rest are boat dives.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Tortugas | January: Good | February: Good | March: Good | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Good | August: Off season | September: Off season | October: Off season | November: Off season | December: Moderate |
| Key Largo | January: Off season | February: Off season | March: Off season | April: Off season | May: Off season | June: Off season | July: Off season | August: Good | September: Good | October: Off season | November: Off season | December: Off season |
| Key West | January: Moderate | February: Good | March: Good | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Good | August: Off season | September: Off season | October: Off season | November: Off season | December: Moderate |
The Florida Keys compared
| Dive area | Best time | Water | Visibility | Dived from | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Tortugas | Mar–Jul | 24–30 °C | 15–30 m | liveaboard | Advanced Open Water |
| Key Largo | Aug–Sep | 24–31 °C | 15–30 m | day boat and shore diving | Open Water |
| Key West | Mar–Jul | 24–30 °C | 10–25 m | day boat | Open Water |
Water and visibility are the whole year's range at each area, coldest month to warmest. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Which area to pick
- Dry Tortugas
- Best from March to July. Same season as Key West. It is dived only from liveaboards.
- Key Largo
- The only one in season from August to September. It suits Open Water divers and is dived only from day boats and the shore.
- Key West
- Best from March to July. Same season as Dry Tortugas. It has the lowest visibility, 10–25 m, suits Open Water divers and is dived only from day boats.
The Florida Keys month by month
Two or more areas are good at once in February to July: the time to combine them in one trip.
- Jan
- Good at Dry Tortugas. Off season at Key Largo.
- Feb–Jul
- Good at Dry Tortugas and Key West. Off season at Key Largo.
- Aug–Sep
- Good at Key Largo. Off season at Dry Tortugas and Key West.
- Oct–Nov
- Nowhere at its best.
- Dec
- Nowhere at its best; Dry Tortugas and Key West are workable.
Dry Tortugas
Aim for March to July for the long days — 12.9 hours of light against 11.4. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month. Diving holds up from February to July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: Good | February: Good | March: Good | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Good | August: Off season | September: Off season | October: Off season | November: Off season | December: Moderate |
- Water
- 24–30 °C
- Wear
- 5 mm full suit
- Dived from
- liveaboard
- Suits
- Advanced Open Water
Known for Goliath grouper
Dry Tortugas month by month →Key Largo
Go August to September for goliath grouper. 22% of years see a tropical storm pass within 250 km then — March to July is calmer, but the animals have gone. The full season runs February to July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: Off season | February: Off season | March: Off season | April: Off season | May: Off season | June: Off season | July: Off season | August: Good | September: Good | October: Off season | November: Off season | December: Off season |
- Water
- 24–31 °C
- Wear
- 5 mm full suit
- Dived from
- day boat and shore diving
- Suits
- Open Water
Known for Goliath grouper, Great hammerhead
Key Largo month by month →Key West
The best conditions run March to July for the long days — 12.9 hours of light against 11.4. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month. The wider season runs February to July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: Moderate | February: Good | March: Good | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Good | August: Off season | September: Off season | October: Off season | November: Off season | December: Moderate |
- Water
- 24–30 °C
- Wear
- 5 mm full suit
- Dived from
- day boat
- Suits
- Open Water
Known for Goliath grouper, Great hammerhead
Key West month by month →Diving in the Florida Keys: common questions
- When is the best time to dive the Florida Keys?
- It depends which area. The season peaks March–July at Dry Tortugas and Key West, and August–September at Key Largo.
- Can you dive the Florida Keys all year?
- Not everywhere at once. Counting all 3 areas, 7 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.
- How warm is the water in the Florida Keys?
- 24 to 31 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.
- Can you dive the Florida Keys from the shore?
- Yes, at Key Largo. The other 2 are boat dives.
- What can you see diving in the Florida Keys?
- The headline animals are goliath grouper and great hammerhead. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.