Conditions right now
Every value below carries the source that measured it and the time it was measured. Water temperature here comes from NDBC Egmont Channel buoy, 12 miles offshore in the Gulf.
Updated 6 Oct, 1:00 AM ET
Gear for your beach day
Nably is a marketplace. The chairs, umbrellas, paddleboards and coolers below belong to local hosts who arrange delivery and pickup themselves.
Calm water today. A good day for a paddleboard or kayak.
Inflatable Paddleboard$50 per day
Inflatable Paddleboard$50 per day
8-Person Deluxe / Ultimate Beach Bundle$115 per day
8-Person Standard Beach Bundle$100 per day
6-Person Deluxe Beach Bundle$90 per day
6-Person Standard Beach Bundle$75 per dayGear from local hosts on Nably, who arrange delivery and pickup themselves. See all beach gear
Related reading: beach chair rental costs in Clearwater, the Tampa Bay beach day rental guide, and all beach gear.
Tides for the next seven days
| Day | High and low tides |
|---|---|
| Tue 6 Oct today | Low 3:02 AM 1.08 ft High 9:35 AM 1.98 ft Low 4:20 PM 0.13 ft High 11:10 PM 1.41 ft |
| Wed 7 Oct | Low 4:08 AM 0.77 ft High 10:42 AM 1.96 ft Low 4:57 PM 0.27 ft High 11:23 PM 1.57 ft |
| Thu 8 Oct | Low 4:59 AM 0.47 ft High 11:39 AM 1.91 ft Low 5:28 PM 0.43 ft High 11:41 PM 1.74 ft |
| Fri 9 Oct | Low 5:44 AM 0.21 ft High 12:29 PM 1.82 ft Low 5:57 PM 0.59 ft High 11:59 PM 1.9 ft |
| Sat 10 Oct | Low 6:26 AM 0.01 ft High 1:15 PM 1.71 ft Low 6:21 PM 0.76 ft |
| Sun 11 Oct | High 12:17 AM 2.03 ft Low 7:06 AM -0.13 ft High 1:59 PM 1.58 ft Low 6:40 PM 0.9 ft |
| Mon 12 Oct | High 12:34 AM 2.13 ft Low 7:45 AM -0.18 ft High 2:43 PM 1.45 ft Low 6:52 PM 1.01 ft |
Predictions from NOAA Mullet Key station. NOAA Tides and Currents. Heights are relative to mean lower low water.
Parking at Fort De Soto
Rates and hours as published by the official source and read on 5 October 2026. Fees change, so treat these as a guide and check the source before you rely on them.
| Where | Rate | Hours and notes |
|---|---|---|
| County park parking fee | $6.00 per day | Pay at a parking terminal, by text, in a mobile parking app, or with an annual pass. App and text payments carry a $0.35 convenience fee. The fee is waived for a vehicle properly displaying a disabled parking permit, which does not have to be parked in an accessible space. |
| Annual beach parking pass | $75.00 plus tax | Valid at Fort De Soto Park, Sand Key Park and Fred Howard Park Beach. |
Source: official page 1, official page 2. Also useful: our Tampa Bay beach parking guide.
Fort De Soto rules
Every rule below is quoted or closely paraphrased from the authority that sets it, with the date we read it.
We could not find an official rule from Fort De Soto's own source for: alcohol. Rather than guess at a rule that carries a fine, we have left those out. Ask a lifeguard or check the official site.
Amenities and access
Fort De Soto does not publish lifeguard coverage on its official pages, so we do not show any. Do not read that as either lifeguards or no lifeguards. Of the eight beaches here, only Clearwater Beach publishes its hours.
Fort De Soto water temperature by month
Averages computed from 83,277 observations recorded by NDBC Egmont Channel buoy, 12 miles offshore in the Gulf across 5 complete years, 2021 to 2025. The low and high columns are the coldest and warmest single readings in that month over the whole period, not a typical range for a day.
| Month | Average | Recorded low to high |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63.5°F | 52.9°F to 72.5°F |
| Feb | 65.2°F | 57.9°F to 73.9°F |
| Mar | 70.4°F | 63.7°F to 77°F |
| Apr | 75°F | 70.3°F to 80.4°F |
| May | 80.8°F | 75.9°F to 88.3°F |
| Jun | 85.2°F | 80.2°F to 90.9°F |
| Jul | 87.9°F | 83.5°F to 93.2°F |
| Aug | 88.3°F | 84.6°F to 93.6°F |
| Sep | 85.9°F | 79.9°F to 91°F |
| Oct | 80°F | 73.9°F to 89.2°F |
| Nov | 73.6°F | 66.6°F to 81.3°F |
| Dec | 68.2°F | 60.8°F to 76.1°F |
Station: Egmont Channel Entrance. A month is shown only where the pooled records cover at least 60 percent of it and come from two or more years, which is why a month can read as not enough data even though the station exists.
Common questions about Fort De Soto
Nearby beaches
See all eight Pinellas beaches side by side or read today's red tide samples across the county.
Where this data comes from
- National Weather Service, Tampa Bay: Rip current risk, surf height, UV index, thunderstorm potential, hazard alerts and the forecast
- NOAA Tides and Currents: Measured water temperature and tide predictions
- NOAA National Data Buoy Center: Gulf water temperature from the Egmont Channel buoy
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Red tide sample results and sea turtle guidance
- Florida Department of Health, Florida Healthy Beaches: Bacteria sampling at monitored beaches
Data from NOAA, NWS, FWC and FL Dept. of Health. Nably is not affiliated with these agencies.
Conditions change quickly. This page summarizes public data from government agencies and may be delayed or incomplete. Always check posted beach flags and follow lifeguard instructions. Nably is a marketplace that connects renters with local hosts and does not operate any beach or rental equipment.