Weather in the Keys in October

[jd950]

Hi:

We are thinking of heading to the keys later this year. We are limited by school schedules and would be down there the last week of October. Ignoring the hurricane/tropical storm issue, how likely is it that we would be blown out of diving in late October?

We have gone to Cozumel a couple of times at that time and have had to deal with intermittent wind issues but we usually don't lose more than a day of diving at the most out of a week. I am also considering going back to Cozumel instead and putting off the keys until next summer.

I have seen several threads that make me think October is too iffy to make it worthwhile, but I wasn't sure if being late in October would likely make much difference.

 

[DebbyDiver]

The weather in the Keys in October is like the shark.

Unpredictable.

Could be the best conditions of the year. Could suck.

 

[kidsdream]

Assuming you don't hit a big storm, I have found October to be one of the best months to dive the Keys - bar none.

Here is shot from October a couple of years ago -Some of the best vis. I have ever experienced.

 

[Buoyant1]

Nice shot Jeff! I'll be back down in late October as well, get ready for another "event"!

Anyway, we were down in EARLY October a few years back (Actually 5 years ago, when I turned 40) and the weather was AWESOME! We've been coming down in late November the past few, but the weather has been really inconsistent from day to day.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Wow, that IS a great shot!!!

I concur, October "can be" the best diving of all. But my pessimism comes from experience. My ex-spouse and I both have October birthdays, and we owned a house at MM103.5, and let's just say we had a lot of birthday celebrations where we couldn't dive. Just have a contingency plan. You have a 50-50 chance of great diving.

In my opinion, June, July and sometimes August are really the best diving in the Keys for avoiding big seas, but I'm no meteorologist, lol.

 

[robandliza]

We had 3 glorious days the last week of October in 2007.We were in Kissimmee for 3 and 2 days either side and the weather was s*** so it really is luck of the draw

 

[fisheyeview]

I have usually found October to be a good month down here. Looking back at my log I consistantly have quite a few dives in October.

 

[Speargirl]

It's a 50/50. But I have to agree with Debby the best time to dive here in the Keys in the summer.

 

[jd950]

Thanks, all. I realize asking what the weather will in a given month sounds a bit silly, but I am just trying to assess the risk. As I said, I can pick somewhere else in October and I am trying to weigh the risks. I can only take a few dive trips a year and each is for about a week to maybe 10 days, so I am kind of jealous of that dive time. Almost anywhere in the region can be bad, and I have to factor in some potential non-diving time.

It sounds like maybe I should put the keys off until next summer and look elsewhere for October.

 

[Jupiter31]

Thanks, all. I realize asking what the weather will in a given month sounds a bit silly, but I am just trying to assess the risk. As I said, I can pick somewhere else in October and I am trying to weigh the risks. I can only take a few dive trips a year and each is for about a week to maybe 10 days, so I am kind of jealous of that dive time. Almost anywhere in the region can be bad, and I have to factor in some potential non-diving time.

It sounds like maybe I should put the keys off until next summer and look elsewhere for October.

Not a terrible idea - as previously posted, Oct can be a GREAT month - or not - beter than Dec-Jan-Feb-March - mostly

Given the choice, June - Sept for consistant, warm, calm conditions.

This winter ans spring so far have been the windiest I can remember in 30 years in FL. Water has been cold too - a couple of weeks ago, it was 67 in 80fsw in Jupiter; week and a half ago, they told me it was in the 50's??? - yesterday was 72 at the "Hole" and 75 at the 2 other sites.

(Best "Hole" dive ever - its in my top 3 ever - and thats saying a ton)