Swimming at South Beach today
Edgartown, Massachusetts
Updated 7:03 AM EDT
What decides a swimming score
Before you swim
Surf is running 3.2 ft today, which makes shorebreak and currents stronger than usual.
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.
Better nearby for swimming
South Beach is also scored for
About South Beach
South Beach sits on the Massachusetts coast, where the water runs from about 39°F in February to 69°F in August.
The water here never averages above 70°F — even in August, the warmest month, it sits around 69°F. Most people wear a wetsuit.
Today it is 69°F. That is right on the August average of 69°F for this beach.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station Edgartown about 3.9 km away on the open coast.
Frequently asked questions
Is South Beach good for swimming today?
Swimmable, with care — we score it 76 out of 100 today. The limiting factor is surf calmness at 3.2 ft.
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 South Beach?
The water here never averages above 70°F — even in August, the warmest month, it sits around 69°F. Most people wear a wetsuit.