Most recent sample near each beach
The worst category FWC recorded within 5 miles of each beach in the last 8 days, with the sample location and date.
Updated 6 Oct, 1:00 AM ET
| Beach | Worst FWC category nearby | Sample site and date |
|---|---|---|
| Honeymoon Island | No recent sample | nothing sampled nearby |
| Clearwater Beach | No recent sample | nothing sampled nearby |
| Indian Rocks Beach | No recent sample | nothing sampled nearby |
| Madeira Beach | No recent sample | nothing sampled nearby |
| Treasure Island | No recent sample | nothing sampled nearby |
| St. Pete Beach | No recent sample | nothing sampled nearby |
| Pass-a-Grille | No recent sample | nothing sampled nearby |
| Fort De Soto | No recent sample | nothing sampled nearby |
Samples from the FWC Harmful Algal Bloom dataset. FWC red tide status. An empty row means nothing was sampled near that beach inside the window, which is not a reading of clear water.
What red tide is
Red tide on Florida's Gulf coast is a bloom of the alga Karenia brevis. It occurs naturally, it is patchy, and it can change within a day. Concentrations are measured in cells per litre of seawater, and FWC sorts those counts into five named categories rather than a single yes or no. Blooms can irritate the airways of people on the beach and can kill fish. FWC and the Florida Department of Health are the authorities on both the biology and the health guidance, and we link to them rather than paraphrase them.
FWC red tide research, Florida Department of Health on red tide
How to read the FWC categories
These are FWC's own category names and thresholds, used here unchanged. We never translate them into a judgement about whether it is pleasant or safe to be in the water.
| FWC category | Karenia brevis concentration |
|---|---|
| not present/background | 1,000 cells per litre or fewer |
| very low | more than 1,000 up to 10,000 cells per litre |
| low | more than 10,000 up to 100,000 cells per litre |
| medium | more than 100,000 up to 1 million cells per litre |
| high | more than 1 million cells per litre |
FWC results can lag by about two weeks after a sample is collected, and sampling is not on a fixed schedule. So when a beach shows no recent sample, that is a gap in the sampling and not a reading of clear water. It is not the same thing as no red tide.
Common questions
Each beach in detail
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
- Mote Marine Laboratory beach conditions reporting: Independent volunteer beach reports, useful alongside FWC sampling
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.