Two active hazards at Navarre Beach today, and the heat is the bigger one. A Heat Advisory runs from 11 AM to 8 PM with heat index values reaching 108 to 110 degrees, and the National Weather Service has held rip current risk at moderate for a second day. Yellow and purple flags are flying. Surf is 1.8 ft with southwest winds at 2–14 mph and water at 86°F.
The National Weather Service has a Heat Advisory in effect for Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa coastal counties from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM CDT today, with heat index values of 108 to 110 degrees. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illness. Drink water steadily rather than waiting until you are thirsty, wear lightweight loose clothing, and keep strenuous activity to the early morning or evening. Take breaks in shade or air conditioning — a beach umbrella is not enough on its own at these numbers.
Watch for heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea or confusion. Anyone showing those signs should get to a cool shaded place and drink water immediately. If someone becomes unresponsive or loses consciousness, call 911 — heat stroke is a medical emergency. Check on elderly neighbors and anyone with health conditions, and never leave children or pets in a parked car.
The National Weather Service has rip current risk at moderate for a second day across the Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa stretch, with surf around 2 feet. Moderate means life-threatening rip currents are possible in the surf zone. Swim near a lifeguard, stay within your depth, and keep clear of piers, jetties and groins where currents concentrate. If you are caught in one, do not swim against it: swim parallel to shore until you are out of the pull, then come in at an angle. Risk drops back to low tomorrow as surf settles.
Yellow means moderate hazard: moderate surf, moderate currents, or both. Swimming is allowed but calls for caution. At 1.8 ft with rip risk at moderate, the flag and the forecast agree today. Stay close to shore, swim near a lifeguard, and keep weaker swimmers and children within arm's reach.
The purple flag is up alongside the yellow, meaning dangerous marine life has been reported in the water — on this coast in August that usually means jellyfish or Portuguese man-of-war. Purple is an additional warning, not a downgrade of the yellow flag. Man-of-war tentacles still sting after the animal washes ashore, so give anything stranded on the sand a wide berth and keep children and dogs away from it. Shuffle your feet in the shallows for rays.
Is It Safe to Swim at Navarre Beach Today?
With caution in the water, and real care out of it. Swimming is permitted under the yellow flag, but surf is 1.8 ft and rip current risk is moderate, so stay near a lifeguard and within your depth. The purple flag means stinging marine life on top of that. The heat is the part most people underestimate: at a heat index of 108 to 110, you can be dehydrated and overheating without feeling especially hot, because sea breeze and water evaporate sweat quickly. Drink steadily, take shade breaks, and plan your beach time for the morning or after 8 PM if you can.
Full Conditions Breakdown
| Condition | Reading |
|---|---|
| Beach flag | Yellow — moderate hazard, plus purple for dangerous marine life |
| Heat Advisory | In effect 11 AM – 8 PM CDT, heat index 108–110°F |
| Rip current risk | Moderate |
| Water temperature | 86°F |
| Air temperature | Low 80°F / High 91°F |
| Wind | SW at 2–14 mph |
| Wave height | 1.8 ft |
| Chance of rain | 20% daytime / 15% nighttime |
| Solunar rating | Excellent activity |
Navarre Beach Pier Today
Solunar activity rates excellent and Spanish mackerel, cigs and hardtail are working the pier ends, deeper troughs and outer sandbars. The 11:46 AM high is the window — but it lands squarely inside the Heat Advisory, on an open deck with no shade and heat index values near 110. If you are fishing it, bring more water than you think you need, take breaks off the deck, and consider the early morning instead. The moderate rip rating also applies if you were planning to wade out to the trough. Contact Navarre Beach Marine Park for current pier hours and access.
Navarre Beach Tides Today
| Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|
| High tide | 11:46 AM | 1.77 ft |
| Low tide | 9:19 PM | 0.39 ft |
A 1.77 ft high late morning falling around nine and a half hours to 0.39 ft in the evening. The range keeps narrowing — today's low is the highest in over a week, so expect little exposed structure. Full tide charts are on the live tides page.
7-Day Outlook
Friday is sunny with highs near 93°F and southwest winds at 5 to 10 mph, and the National Weather Service drops rip current risk back to low as surf settles to around a foot. Saturday brings mixed sun and clouds with highs in the mid 90s and a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 PM. The extended forecast holds typical mid-August patterns — warm days, lows in the low 80s, and scattered afternoon thunderstorm potential by early next week. Heat is likely to stay the main story, so keep checking for further advisories.
More Emerald Coast Conditions Today
Also posted this morning: Pensacola Beach conditions, Destin conditions and today's fishing report.