Monroe County·Florida Keys·Atlantic Coast
Is it safe to swim at Key West Beach today?
Nearby-station reading — not collected at Key West Beach.
The badge, reading, and history below come from SOUTH BEACH, about 0.3 miles away. Use this as local context and check official conditions for Key West Beach before swimming.
Latest nearby-station DOH sample is POOR
The latest Florida DOH sample at SOUTH BEACH, about 0.3 miles from Key West Beach, measured 344 CFU/100mL in the poor range. It was not collected at Key West Beach, but it is a strong reason to check official local conditions before water contact.
Keep it handy on this device for your next conditions check.
Latest sample on page · nearby station
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
This sample comes from SOUTH BEACH, about 0.3 miles from Key West Beach.
Bacteria reading
344 CFU/100mL
This reading belongs to SOUTH BEACH. Florida DOH classifies results above 70 CFU/100mL as poor. Lower is better.
Nearby-station context
33% poor results
Use the current sample first, then use up to 12 latest displayed samples as context.
This page helps you make a better beach decision, not just read a badge. If it has rained heavily since Tuesday, September 8, 2026, lean conservative because rain and runoff can add risk beyond the caution already shown by this sample.
Start with the sample date
The number on this page is only as fresh as the last sample. If the date feels old for your trip, be more skeptical.
Use history as a tie-breaker
Two beaches can both look good today, but the one with fewer past spikes is usually the safer bet on an uncertain weather day.
Rain beats the badge
Stormwater runoff can change conditions faster than Florida's routine testing schedule, especially near inlets, canals, and urban drains.
Key West Beach beach conditions and water quality today
If you searched for Key West Beach water quality or beach conditions today, the latest Florida DOH sample shown here comes from SOUTH BEACH, about 0.3 miles away. That station measured 344 CFU/100mL on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, which this site classifies as POOR; it was not collected at Key West Beach.
Latest sample on this page: Tuesday, September 8, 2026
This sample is 2 days older than the freshest update currently on this site.
How Key West Beach compares nearby today
SOUTH BEACH's nearby-station result used on the Key West Beach page ranks #3 of 4 nearby page results by current status, recent poor-sample rate, and sample freshness. This is a proxy comparison, not an exact result collected at Key West Beach.
If you want the stronger backup right now, compare Bahia Honda State Park first.
Compare Key West Beach with Bahia Honda State ParkYour best next step from this page
Compare Bahia Honda State Park next
Bahia Honda State Park currently looks like the stronger nearby alternative on this page.
Use Monroe County as your local backup map
SOUTH BEACH's nearby-station result used on the Key West Beach page currently ranks #3 of 4 monitored page results in Monroe County by current status, recent poor-sample rate, and sample freshness. This comparison uses SOUTH BEACH as a nearby proxy for Key West Beach, not an exact-beach sample. Use the county page to compare the rest of the local beaches in one place.
Plan from Key West
If you are deciding from a city trip, the city guide makes it easier to compare distance, current status, and fallback options together.
Use the right page for the decision you're making
These deeper views help when you need more than the same-day badge.
Track record
Open Key West Beach history
The latest nearby-station sample is poor, so use the history to understand context without letting older results override the current caution.
Backup plan
Compare Bahia Honda State Park and other backups
Use this first if Key West Beach gives you pause and you want the strongest nearby alternative ranked by current status, risk history, and distance.
Weather risk
Use the after-rain view for Key West Beach
This sample is already 2 days behind the freshest site data. If rain hit after this sample, start with the stricter after-rain view.
Warning signs
Check recent spikes before you go
Use this to see how recent the warning signs are. The displayed history still includes a poor sample on September 8.
Latest sample outweighs the older track record
SOUTH BEACH used as context for Key West Beach has a poor latest nearby-station sample. Use that current result first; older samples cannot turn it into an all-clear, even when the recent displayed trend looks steadier.
Most recent poor sample shown here: September 8, 2026 (344 CFU/100mL)
Freshest sample anywhere on this site: September 10, 2026
Sample source details
- Source station
- SOUTH BEACH
- Station ID
- 184
- Distance from beach point
- About 0.3 miles
- Match method
- Nearby-station proxy
- Data source
- Florida DOH Healthy Beaches Program via Water Atlas API
This station was selected by proximity because the pipeline did not have a strong local name match. Its sample and history are nearby context, not measurements collected at Key West Beach.
Water Quality History — Latest Samples
Sample source: SOUTH BEACH (nearby station for Key West Beach)
Values in CFU/100mL. Green = Good (≤35.4), Yellow = Moderate (35.5–70.4), Red = Poor (≥70.5)
If it rained recently, treat this page as stale faster
Florida DOH testing is routine, not continuous. Heavy rain can push bacteria higher through runoff before the next posted sample catches it. For Key West Beach, wait at least 72 hours after heavy rain and be extra careful around inlets, canals, storm drains, or brown water. Read the rain guide.
About Key West Beach
The southernmost beaches in the continental US, Key West offers calm, warm waters at Fort Zachary Taylor, Smathers Beach, and South Beach.
Where Key West Beach sits in Monroe County
SOUTH BEACH's nearby-station result used on the Key West Beach page currently ranks #3 of 4 monitored page results in Monroe County by current status, recent poor-sample rate, and sample freshness. This comparison uses SOUTH BEACH as a nearby proxy for Key West Beach, not an exact-beach sample.
Compare with Bahia Honda State ParkWhere Key West Beach sits in Florida Keys
SOUTH BEACH's nearby-station result used on the Key West Beach page currently ranks #3 of 4 monitored page results in the Florida Keys group by current status, recent poor-sample rate, and sample freshness. This comparison uses SOUTH BEACH as a nearby proxy for Key West Beach, not an exact-beach sample.
Compare with Bahia Honda State ParkKeep Exploring This Coastline
Use the county, regional, and city guide pages to compare more beaches before you commit to one stop.
Compare Nearby Beaches Before You Go
If this page gives you pause, compare these nearby beaches first. They are sorted by current status, historical spike rate, and sample recency rather than a random list order.
Read Before You Go
Is It Safe to Swim After Rain?
Wait times, runoff risk, and when to skip the water
Understanding Advisories
What the badges, thresholds, and warnings really mean
Cleanest Beaches in Florida
Compare the lowest poor-sample shares in the displayed history
Clearest Water Beaches in Florida
Use this when postcard-clear water is part of your decision too
How Bacteria Testing Works
How sampling works and why “latest” is not the same as live
Flesh-Eating Bacteria & Vibrio
Why this enterococcus badge does not test for Vibrio
Disclaimer: Water quality data is sourced from the Florida Department of Health Healthy Beaches Program. Conditions can change rapidly. This website provides informational guidance only, not official real-time clearance — always check with Florida DOH for official beach conditions. Safe to Swim Florida is an independent project and is not affiliated with any government agency.