FL Keys - January or February?

Lost Sailor · Jan 5, 2012

Hi all,

I am looking into my first trip down to the Keys and was wondering whether anyone has an opinion whether there is any difference in heading down in late January versus late February (trying to work with vacation windows here). Any difference between Key Largo area and Key West area this time of year?

Thanks for any help!

Angry Turtle · Jan 5, 2012

The "winter" weather down in the keys can be tricky. If you have an easy choice, and no other factors I would choose late February.

It is possible for late January to be awesome, and late February turn to be not so great.

conchrandy · Jan 5, 2012

January is slow down here. that's about the only difference I can think of...

jar546 · Jan 5, 2012

I was there this time last year and thought it was great. 68F water temp, seas were good with no big windy days. April was about the same. November warmer but windy this year. I will be coming down the 1st week of February and will be happy because it is better than using a chainsaw to cut a hole in the ice in order to dive around here.

Garrobo · Jan 6, 2012

I've dove the Upper Keys all year round. Jan and Feb are about the same. Coldest water I dove in down there was a 63 degree bottom temp on the Speigle Grove with a surface temp of 77 degrees if I remember correctly. Sometimes it gets down in the lower 50's at night and the coldest air temp I remember is 55 degrees one afternoon. With a stiff wind and a wet wetsuit you can freeze your butt off so I'd advise you to take a windbreaker or take off your wetsuit and dry off between dives if you are doing an extended SI. The one particular day I had to jump in the water a couple times to get warmed up. The next day it was about the same so I wore a rented 3mm shorty over my 3mm full suit and took a large trash bag with holes for my arms and head between dives and I was real toasty.

Lost Sailor · Jan 8, 2012

Thanks for the info! My trip will be a game-time call, so I may let the weather make the call.

jar546 · Jan 8, 2012

Garrobo:
I've dove the Upper Keys all year round. Jan and Feb are about the same. Coldest water I dove in down there was a 63 degree bottom temp on the Speigle Grove with a surface temp of 77 degrees if I remember correctly. Sometimes it gets down in the lower 50's at night and the coldest air temp I remember is 55 degrees one afternoon. With a stiff wind and a wet wetsuit you can freeze your butt off so I'd advise you to take a windbreaker or take off your wetsuit and dry off between dives if you are doing an extended SI. The one particular day I had to jump in the water a couple times to get warmed up. The next day it was about the same so I wore a rented 3mm shorty over my 3mm full suit and took a large trash bag with holes for my arms and head between dives and I was real toasty.

Which is why I dove dry down there in any month other than summer!!

Angry Turtle · Jan 8, 2012

Lost Sailor:
Thanks for the info! My trip will be a game-time call, so I may let the weather make the call.

best approach if your schedule allows for it

FL Keys - January or February?

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