Swimming at Chatham Lighthouse Beach today
Chatham, Massachusetts
Updated 4:00 AM EDT
What decides a swimming score
Before you swim
At 60°F the water is cold enough that unprotected swimmers risk cold-water shock.
Swim near a staffed lifeguard tower, and check the National Weather Service surf-zone forecast for the official rip-current outlook — we report conditions, we don't forecast rip currents.
Chatham Lighthouse Beach is also scored for
About Chatham Lighthouse Beach
Chatham Lighthouse Beach sits on the Massachusetts coast, where the water runs from about 39°F in February to 76°F in July.
The water averages above 70°F in July and August — 2 months of the year — peaking around 76°F in July and dropping to about 39°F in February.
Today it is 60°F. That is 1° below the October average of 61°F here.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station Chatham, Stage Harbor about 1.4 km away inside a harbour.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chatham Lighthouse Beach good for swimming today?
Poor for swimming — we score it 58 out of 100 today. The limiting factor is water temperature at 60°F.
What makes a good swimming day?
We weight water temperature (40%), surf calmness (25%), uv exposure (15%) and combine them into one score. Conditions we cannot read are left out rather than guessed.
When is the best time of year to swim at Chatham Lighthouse Beach?
The water averages above 70°F in July and August — 2 months of the year — peaking around 76°F in July and dropping to about 39°F in February.