Conditions on this page are recalculated from the latest forecast every time it is opened, for the current date in the location's own time zone.
Most people are happiest with air temperatures between 25°C and 30°C (77–86°F) and water temperatures between 22°C and 28°C (72–82°F). Below 22°C feels cool; above 32°C creates heat-exhaustion risk without shade. Yes for walking and beach sports, marginal for sunbathing, and uncomfortable for most swimmers. 70°F feels cool once the sun dips or the wind picks up. Air at 72°F is fine, but the water is what matters. 22°C water is comfortable for most swimmers; under 20°C feels cold within a few minutes. Yes — 24°C with sun and light wind is a solid beach day. Water above 22°C makes it excellent. Excellent — 27°C is the sweet spot for sunbathing and swimming if the water is 24°C+ and wind is under 15 km/h. No, but bring shade and water. At 29°C with high UV, limit direct sun exposure between 11 AM and 3 PM. Borderline. Heat-exhaustion risk climbs sharply above 32°C — go early morning or after 4 PM and stay hydrated. Briefly. 18°C water shocks the system and most swimmers lose grip and breath control within 5–10 minutes without a wetsuit. Below 16°C is dangerous for unprotected swimmers. 16–20°C is brief-dip only. 21°C+ is the comfort threshold. Yes — getting out of 22°C water into 18°C air feels much colder than getting out into 28°C air. The combination matters. Wind above 25 km/h (15 mph) makes sand blow, umbrellas flip, and beach activities uncomfortable. Under 15 km/h is ideal. Up to about 20 km/h, yes — the breeze helps cool you down. Beyond that, it tips into discomfort. Under 0.5 m is safe for all swimmers including children. 0.5–1 m is for confident swimmers. Above 1.5 m is hazardous. For swimming and families, yes. For surfing, 1–2.5 m waves can be ideal — context matters. A narrow channel of fast-moving water flowing away from shore. Rip currents kill more beachgoers than sharks, lightning, and storms combined. Swim parallel to shore until you are out of the current, then swim back to the beach. Never swim against the rip — it will exhaust you. Yes. Onshore winds bring cooler air and choppy water. Offshore winds feel warmer but create rip-current risk. Cross-shore winds are often the most comfortable. 8–20 km/h is ideal — enough to clean up the waves but not enough to make them choppy. UV 8+ is very high — unprotected skin can burn in under 20 minutes. UV 11+ is extreme and unsafe at midday. Under UV 5 with SPF 30+ is comfortable. Above UV 6, keep kids in shade between 11 AM and 3 PM. Sand reflects up to 25% of UV and water reflects another 10–15%. You can burn 40% faster at the beach than in a park at the same UV level. Between 11 AM and 3 PM local solar time. The first and last 2 hours of daylight are the safest windows. Yes — up to 80% of UV radiation penetrates clouds. UV 6 stays UV 6 under thin cloud cover. SPF 30+ minimum. SPF 50+ for fair skin, children, or UV 8+. Reapply every 80 minutes and after swimming. Air 25–28°C, water 25–27°C, wind under 12 km/h, UV under 6, waves under 0.3 m. The Decision Card flags exactly this combination as "ideal for children". Air 24–28°C with light wind for cooling, UV under 6, and easy beach access. Avoid days above 30°C — heat stress climbs sharply with age. Partly cloudy (20–40% cloud cover) at golden hour. Soft directional light, dramatic skies, no harsh midday contrast. Water 24–28°C, wind under 12 km/h, waves under 0.3 m. Wind and chop ruin visibility more than anything else. Water 18–26°C, wind 8–20 km/h offshore, waves 1–2.5 m. Glassy mornings beat windy afternoons. Air 22–28°C with shade available, wind under 15 km/h so nothing blows away, low chance of rain. Morning or late afternoon avoids peak UV. Air 25–30°C, UV 4–7 (enough to tan, not enough to burn fast), wind under 10 km/h. Air 24–30°C, water 22–28°C, wind under 15 km/h, waves under 1 m. UV is secondary if you reapply SPF. Depends on latitude. Mediterranean: June–September. Caribbean: December–April. Northern Europe: July–August. Tropical: most of the year except monsoon.
Scores are capped by dealbreakers — heavy rain, dangerous wind, thick fog or hazardous UV pull a day down no matter how pleasant the rest of the numbers look. Forecast data is Open-Meteo; solar and lunar values are computed for Beach Weather Guide's own coordinates and time zone. Full details on the methodology page.