Winter Diving in Florida

[SeaHound]

Hello people!

I am planning diving in Florida through out the winters. (Oct -March). What are the ocean conditions like during this time and what kind of exposure protection should I bring?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Walter]

Conditions vary day to day. East coast temps are typically low to mid 70s from about mid November through mid May. The Gulf gets considerably colder. During a typical winter, the Gulf temps will drop to low to mid 60s, but if it's a particularly cold winter, the temps often reach the low 50s and once I saw it hit the upper 40s.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Here in the keys the weather is actually better, less heat and humidity(hence all the snowbirds) the water is still very comfortable. The seas are rougher but if you watch the forecast you should have good time on the water

 

[DebbyDiver]

It depends on how cold you get! I've seen tourists from way up north diving in a bathing suit and t-shirt in the winter, and I've seen friends who live here diving in drysuits. Wearing a hood adds a lot of comfortability.

We often get the very clearest visibility in the winter!!! And often the wind is out of the west, giving us flat seas in Southeastern Florida.

 

[HowardE]

I'm one of those Dry divers in the winter. But I have seen people in as little as a bathing suit. The temps (as others have said) are in the mid 70's on the east coast in the winter... Sometimes, as low as 68 degrees...

Before I got my DS I wore a 7mm in the winter.

 

[deeper thoughts]

I am comfortable in a 3mm shorty with longsleeves

 

[idive2]

I don't get cold easily and thought I could dive with a 3 ml full through
the winter but it was not enough. I'm thinking of adding a 5 ml full to my
closet for this winter. I would say a 3 ml full with hood is minimum, 5 ml
full would be good for most, and a 7 ml or drysuit for those that chill easily.
It's that second or third dive of the day that the chill sets in for most.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Sometimes it's the cold chilly air during the surface interval that gets you more than the actual water temperature!!! For that reason I hate diving on cold days despite the water temp.

 

[mempilot]

I dive a trilam drysuit in the winter with light under armour fleece. Very comfortable for even long or multiple dives. About equal to a 5mm, but you're are much warmer during surface intervals. IMO anyway.

Vis is great during the winter months as a rule of thumb. Currents and seas can be more cantankerous though.

I prefer winter diving to summer diving in SE FL.

 

[CBulla]

I'm one of those dive in a swimsuit divers and I'm a S. Florida native, but not on the Gulf coast... I don't even bother to dive the GC when its cold. s