Clearwater Beach in Winter (December to February): What It's Really Like

Is Clearwater Beach warm enough in winter?

For the beach, yes. For the water, mostly no. A typical winter afternoon is in the low to mid 70s with sun, which is shorts-and-a-light-layer weather for walking the sand, watching the sunset or sitting out at lunch. Evenings drop into the 50s, so you'll want long sleeves once the sun goes down.

The Gulf is the catch. Water in the low to mid 60s feels cold to most swimmers within a minute or two, and that's normal from late December through mid-February. Wade in the Gulf and save real swims for a heated pool. Our pools guide shows which beach hotels heat their pools.

Come for sun, long walks and sunsets, not for floating in warm water. This page is about trips of a week or two. Staying a month or longer is a different plan, and our snowbird guide covers rentals, taxes and settling in.

How warm is the Gulf in December, January and February?

The table averages every hourly reading from NOAA's Clearwater Beach tide station (8726724) for ten winters: 2015-16 through 2023-24, plus 2025-26. The 2024-25 winter is left out. The station's record has a long gap in January 2025, and its December 2024 average ran 6.5°F above NOAA's St. Petersburg station, which looks more like a sensor problem than a genuinely warm month.

The last two rows use nine winters because of gaps in the record. "Coolest to warmest winter" is the lowest and highest single-winter average for that week. By month, December averaged 67.2°F, January 63.0°F and February 65.6°F, but one year can differ a lot from the next: January 2018 averaged 56.2°F and January 2020 averaged 65.9°F. For the other nine months, see our Clearwater Beach water temperature guide. Before a swim, check the live reading on NOAA's station page, linked in the sources below.

How warm are the days, and how much does it rain?

Air figures come from Tampa International Airport, the closest long-record station, about 18 miles east of the beach as the crow flies. The Gulf usually keeps beach nights a little milder. The last three columns average the airport's daily records over the eleven winters from December 2015 to March 2026.

Normals are NOAA's 1991-2020 figures. Expect rain on about four days a month, usually with a passing front rather than summer-style afternoon storms. Recent Decembers and Februarys have run warmer than the normals suggest. January is the month that bites. For the full year, see Clearwater Beach weather by month.

What does a cold front do to a beach day?

Fronts come through all winter. A rough way to count them: over the last eleven winters, Tampa International logged a day with a high at least 10°F below the warmer of the two days before it about four times in a typical December, five or six times in January and about three times in February. The usual sequence is a day of clouds, wind and sometimes rain, then a north wind, clear skies and a day or two of crisp, breezy weather before it warms up again. Strong north wind and high pressure can also push water away from the coast, which is when the gauge records extra-low tides on cold north-wind mornings.

Most fronts are mild. A strong one changes the trip. Two examples from the records:

• Christmas 2022: Tampa International hit 45°F on December 24 and 46°F on Christmas Day, with lows of 31°F. The Gulf at Clearwater Beach fell from a daily average of 65.1°F on December 23 to 57.9°F the next day, about 7°F in 24 hours. It didn't get back to the mid 60s until January 4.
• February 1, 2026: The airport's high was 47°F and the low 29°F. The Clearwater Beach gauge read 49.3°F that morning, the coldest reading in our ten winters except one hour in January 2018 (49.1°F). The Gulf's daily average stayed below 60°F from January 27 to February 15.

So a five-day January trip will probably include a cool, windy day. Keep an indoor plan ready, or, if you sail or kite, treat it as prime kiteboarding wind. Our rainy-day guide works just as well on a cold, gray day.

What is Clearwater Beach like in December?

Early December is the sweet spot of winter. The water is still near 69°F in the first week, highs reach 75°F or more on most days, and the holiday rush hasn't started. Sunset comes early: 5:35 p.m. on December 1 and 5:41 p.m. on the shortest day, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory.

Holiday Lighted Boat Parade, Saturday, December 12, 2026, 6 p.m. The Clearwater Yacht Club (830 S. Bayway Blvd.) runs this one, its 52nd year. Decorated boats start just north of the Mandalay Channel bridge, loop around Island Estates, pass Coachman Park, head toward the Sand Key bridge and finish at the Clearwater Beach Marina (25 Causeway Blvd.), where the judging happens. The marina is the most central place to watch.

Christmas week is one of the busiest weeks of the winter, because schools across the country are on break. Book rooms and Christmas dinner early, and pack for anything: Christmas Day highs at the airport have ranged from 46°F (2022) to 86°F (2015 and 2016) over the last eleven years. Pinellas County parks, including Sand Key Park, close on December 25. The city beach itself stays open. Our Christmas at Clearwater Beach guide covers the rest of the holiday season.

New Year's Eve, Thursday, December 31, 2026. The city and the Sunsets at Pier 60 festival are holding Sunset to Sparkle in Pier 60 Park (370 Mandalay Ave., where Causeway Blvd. meets the beach) from 3 to 9:30 p.m., with entertainment, vendors and family activities. The fireworks are at 9 p.m., not midnight. Admission is free. For dinners and late-night options, see our New Year's Eve guide.

What is Clearwater Beach like in January?

January is the coolest month and the one most likely to bring a real cold snap. Normal highs are 71°F and lows 53°F, and recent Januarys averaged about six days that didn't reach 65°F at the airport. The water averages 63°F and bottoms out in the low 60s in the second half.

The upside is space. Once schools go back after New Year's, there's no national school break until spring, so short-trip visitors thin out. The exception is the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, ending Monday, January 18, 2027. Sunset moves from 5:47 p.m. on January 1 to 6:11 p.m. on January 31. Bring binoculars, too: most osprey sightings in our wildlife data fall between December and April, so it's a good month for winter ospreys and oystercatchers.

On a cold or gray day, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (249 Windward Passage, on Island Estates) is an easy fallback. As of October 2026, its website said manatee viewing was open at its manatee rehabilitation center and listed hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check before you go.

What is Clearwater Beach like in February?

February starts like January and ends like spring. The first week averages 61.6°F, about the same as the last ten days of January, which makes it the coldest stretch of the year. By the last week, the average is close to 69°F and some years the Gulf is back in the mid 70s. Air temperatures follow. Recent Februarys averaged about 19 days at 75°F or warmer at the airport. Sunset reaches 6:31 p.m. by February 28.

Phillies spring training. The Phillies play their first home game of the spring at BayCare Ballpark (601 Old Coachman Rd., Clearwater) on Saturday, February 20, 2027, against the Toronto Blue Jays, followed by the Yankees on February 21. They play 16 home games through March 22. One caution: MLB's labor agreement covered the 2022 to 2026 seasons, and talks on a new one began on May 12, 2026. The last time a deal ran out, the lockout that followed pushed 2022 spring games back to March 12 at the earliest. Watch the news before you build a trip around a game. Tickets and parking are in our Phillies spring training guide. The Blue Jays train nearby, so the same trip can include Blue Jays spring training in Dunedin.

Expect the second half of February to feel busier than January, with Presidents' Day weekend (ending Monday, February 15, 2027) and the start of spring training both landing in it.

What's open in winter, and where can you swim somewhere warm?

The beach is open 24 hours all winter. The Sunsets at Pier 60 festival runs every evening, weather permitting, from two hours before sunset to two hours after. Based on Naval Observatory sunset times, that's roughly 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. in December, sliding to about 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. by late February. Pier 60 Park closes at 9 p.m. (the city lists the opening time as 6 a.m. on one page and 7 a.m. on another).

Warm water is harder to find. The city pool at the Clearwater Beach Recreation Center (69 Bay Esplanade) is seasonal, and its posted 2026 season runs only from August 11 to October 18. On the mainland, the city's Long Center (1501 N. Belcher Rd.) lists a heated training pool. Call (727) 562-4905 for open-swim times and visitor fees. For most visitors the realistic winter swim is a hotel pool, so ask whether it's heated, and to what temperature, before you book.

What should you pack for a winter beach trip?

• Layers: shorts and T-shirts for the afternoons, plus a fleece or sweatshirt and long pants for evenings. Add a windproof jacket for the day after a front.
• Swimsuit: for the pool and for wading. If you plan to swim in the Gulf in January or February, a wetsuit top helps a lot.
• Sun protection: the glare off white sand and water doesn't take the winter off. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses.
• A flexible plan: leave one day open so you can move a beach day or boat trip around a front.

Should you come in winter or wait for spring?

The Gulf is warmer in March and April (about 72°F and 77°F on average over the same years), but that's spring break season. Winter gives up swimming in exchange for space.

For a month-by-month look at crowds and prices, see our best time to visit Clearwater Beach guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can you swim at Clearwater Beach in January?

You can, but most people find it too cold. January water at the Clearwater Beach gauge averaged 63°F over ten recent winters, and only 5% of January hours reached 70°F. The city lists lifeguards on duty 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, with towers staffed based on season and weather.

Is Clearwater Beach warm in December?

Usually. The normal high is 74°F, and recent Decembers averaged about 20 days at 75°F or warmer at Tampa International Airport. Nights are cool, with a normal low of 56°F. The water averages 67°F, starting near 69°F and cooling through the month.

When is the Clearwater holiday boat parade?

The Clearwater Yacht Club's 52nd Holiday Lighted Boat Parade is Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 6 p.m. It finishes at the Clearwater Beach Marina, 25 Causeway Blvd., where the boats are judged.

What time are the New Year's Eve fireworks on Clearwater Beach?

At the city's Sunset to Sparkle event in Pier 60 Park, the fireworks are at 9 p.m. on Thursday, December 31, 2026. The event runs from 3 to 9:30 p.m., and admission is free.