NORFOLK, Va. — It's that time of the year where people pack the Virginia Beach Oceanfront to get some much-needed beach time.
It's the perfect time of year to do so because the ocean temperatures in Virginia Beach are the high during the heart of the summer in July and August. During both of those months, the average ocean temperatures fall right around 79 degrees.
After August, the average water temperatures fall to the middle 70s in September, with 60-degree ocean temperatures in October and November.
Of course, the Oceanfront is the most quiet during the winter and early spring. That's to be expected when the average water temperatures in Virginia Beach are no warmer than the upper 50s.
In 2023, the Cape Henry Buoy, the buoy the measures the nearby Atlantic waters, recorded water temperatures of at least 80 degrees on 21 days. Fourteen of those day occurred during July of 2023.
According to the National Data Buoy Center, throughout all of last year, the Cape Henry Buoy did not record any ocean temperatures of 85 degrees or higher. The highest temperature recorded in 2023 at the Cape Henry Buoy was 84 degrees on July 12.
If these upper 70s are just not cutting it for you, we suggest heading south for the summer, specifically to Miami, Florida. The average Miami beach water temperature during July is a around 85 degrees.
The National Data Buoy Center holds buoy records as far back as 2008 and provides buoy data from all over the world. Their vision is to provide a sustainable and resilient marine observation and monitoring infrastructure which enhances healthy ecosystems, communities, and economies in the face of change.