What's summer weather like at America's best beaches of 2024?

What's summer weather like at America's best beaches of 2024?

With summer closing in, it is time to plan a beach vacation. While Travel and Leisure Magazine has ranked the 25 best beaches in the U.S., FOX Weather has taken a closer look at the weather for these sandy spots.

"Different criteria define the perfect beach for different people, such as the quality of the sand, the waves (or lack thereof), level of seclusion, public transportation and accessible parking, whether there's a boardwalk, activities, and even the amount of shade," reads the article by Travel and Leisure.

"Some beaches are found next to crystalline lakes, while others are beneath the peaks of majestic mountain ranges," the magazine continued. "Some are surf havens with stellar waves, while others cater to families with calm waters and things to do right on the sand."

To help you find the ideal beach for your summer break, FOX Weather took a look at the average summer weather from NOAA to give you a look at what to expect when visiting each location.

File: Vacationer swimming and sunbathing at Poipu beach Jan 2013.
File: Vacationer swimming and sunbathing at Poipu beach Jan 2013.

NEW SUMMER WEATHER OUTLOOK LOOKS TOASTY ACROSS MUCH OF US

Calling all surfers, snorkelers, fishermen, windsurfers and bodyboarders; Poipu Beach may be your ideal. There is also a small boulder breakwater for kid-friendly, protected swimming. It sits on the south shore of Kauai which many call the "Garden Isle" because of its lush green mountains.

  • Average high: 84 degrees.

  • Average low: 74 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are partly to mostly cloudy: 28%, clouds increase in the afternoon.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 15%.

  • Average water temp: 78 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 93%.

File: A picture from a drone of the Ocean City inlet and Ocean City boardwalk is seen.
File: A picture from a drone of the Ocean City inlet and Ocean City boardwalk is seen.

WHY SUMMER SHOULD ACTUALLY BEGIN ON JUNE 1

Grab the kids. Ocean City is 8 miles of sand lined shore with 3 miles of boardwalk. Beach rentals, shops, amusement park rides, bike rentals and restaurants are never far from where you are staying. The Atlantic also offers fishing, boating and Jet Skiing.

  • Average high: 83 degrees.

  • Average low: 69 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are partly to mostly: 40%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 35%.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 75%.

  • Average water temp: 74 degrees.

The Hotel del Coronado fronts the beach at San Diego, California.
The Hotel del Coronado fronts the beach at San Diego, California.

TOP PET-FRIENDLY TRAVEL DESTINATIONS

Not far from San Diego, Coronado Island is the strand that separates San Diego Bay and the Pacific. The area offers the historical Hotel del Coronado, beautiful hikes and the world-renowned San Diego Zoo. The water can be chilly and rough, though. There is even a dog-friendly section of the beach.

  • Average high: 75 degrees.

  • Average low: 66 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are partly to mostly cloudy: 15%, cloudy mornings.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 1%.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 7%.

  • Average water temp: 67 degrees.

File: People visit Pope Beach in South Lake Tahoe, California.
File: People visit Pope Beach in South Lake Tahoe, California.

If you thought the Lake Tahoe area was just a winter ski destination, think again. The largest alpine lake on the continent boasts beaches, boating, kayaking and paddleboarding on the crystal clear water. Take a break from the beach and go hiking or try out the ski runs, repurposed for the summer for mountain biking. There are even casinos on the Nevada side.

  • Average high: 78 degrees.

  • Average low: 40 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are partly to mostly: 19%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 3%.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 0%.

  • Average water temp: 54 degrees.

File: Clearwater Beach is just one of the sandy getaways in the Tampa Bay area.
File: Clearwater Beach is just one of the sandy getaways in the Tampa Bay area.

While spring breakers think of Clearwater Beach as a winter and spring destination, families hit the white-sand beach all summer. The pier offers entertainment for everyone at night. Enjoy the bathtub-warm Gulf of Mexico early in the day to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms. Not to worry, the storms usually leave as fast as they arrive.

  • Average high: 89 degrees.

  • Average low: 77 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are partly to mostly: 55%, afternoon showers.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 67%.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 98%.

  • Average water temp: 85 degrees.

File: Sunset at Harris Beach State Park on the southern Oregon coast.
File: Sunset at Harris Beach State Park on the southern Oregon coast.

Harris Beach is ready for campers and RVs. Prepare to be amazed at the crazy rock formations and towering cliffs in this state park, not to mention migrating whales off the coast, harbor seals and gray whales.

  • Average high: 65 degrees.

  • Average low: 53 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 30%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 3%.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 0%.

  • Average water temp: 53 degrees.

Port Townsend, Washington.
Port Townsend, Washington.

This remote bluff used to be a garbage dump. It is known for the beautiful sea glass lining the beach. Travel and Leisure said it's a bit of a walk through the state park and Port Townsend to find the treasure. Go treasure hunting during low tide.

  • Average high: 70 degrees.

  • Average low: 53 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 41%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 15%, July and August are the driest months.

  • Average water temp: 54 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 0%.

File: Two Chicago Fire Department boats and Chicago Police sit in the no-wake area near Oak Street Beach.
File: Two Chicago Fire Department boats and Chicago Police sit in the no-wake area near Oak Street Beach.

Oak Street Beach is almost a mirage in urban Chicago. The sandy stretch framed by the skyline is popular for joggers, walkers and rollerbladers. Consider taking a dip in Lake Michigan as a little break from a business trip.

  • Average high: 75 degrees.

  • Average low: 67 degrees.

  • Average time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 40%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 33%.

  • Average water temp: 65 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 40%

File: A woman snorkels in the clear water of the Pacific Ocean at Carlsmith Beach Park.
File: A woman snorkels in the clear water of the Pacific Ocean at Carlsmith Beach Park.

TOP 10 NATIONAL PARKS TO VISIT THIS SUMMER AND THE WEATHER YOU CAN EXPECT

This crystal clear oasis sits off a tree-lined park in Hilo, Hawaii, and is a haven for snorkelers. A reef protects the area from the normally battering waves on the Big Island. When you are through swimming with the sea turtles, head to nearby Volcano National Park.

  • Average high: 82 degrees.

  • Average low: 70 degrees.

  • Average time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 27%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 27%.

  • Average water temp: 78 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 80%.

File: Surfers ride the waves at Wrightsville Beach. (Photo by Eros Hoagland/Getty Images)
File: Surfers ride the waves at Wrightsville Beach. (Photo by Eros Hoagland/Getty Images)

The magazine calls Wrightsville Beach "a quaint, quintessential beach town" that offers relaxation and plenty of water sports.

  • Average high: 85 degrees.

  • Average low: 72 degrees.

  • Average time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 51%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 46%.

  • Average water temp: 80 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 85%.

The pier and lighthouse at Grand Haven State Park.
The pier and lighthouse at Grand Haven State Park.

The Grand Haven State Park is a 48-acre park on the shore of Lake Michigan less than 40 miles west of Grand Rapids.

  • Average high: 77 degrees.

  • Average low: 62 degrees.

  • Average time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 41%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 28%.

  • Average water temp: 64 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 93%.

The Santa Monica Pier is pictured as the sun sets in Santa Monica, California. Photo by Apu GOMES / AFP
The Santa Monica Pier is pictured as the sun sets in Santa Monica, California. Photo by Apu GOMES / AFP

HOW WEATHER IMPACTS WAVES DURING SURFING COMPETITIONS

Beach, sun and fun – Santa Monica Beach has it all. The pier boasts an amusement park and fishing. Restaurants are just a short walk away. You can walk, jog and bike for miles along the sandy shoreline's path and check out Muscle Beach outdoor gym, beach volleyball, and eclectic shops in Venice.

  • Average high: 74 degrees.

  • Average low: 63 degrees.

  • Average time mostly cloudy to cloudy: 18%, cloudy in the morning.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 0%.

  • Average water temp: 67 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 5%.

File: A park visitor hikes one of the many dunes early in the morning at Great Sand Dunes National Park in Mosca, Colorado. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is known for huge dunes and the seasonal Medano Creek and beach created at the base of the dunes. These sand dunes are the tallest dunes in North America. They are shaped by the forces of wind and water and are continuously moving and shifting. Medano creek flows through the dunes.

You have to hurry for this one because it is only a beach for part of the year.

"Medano Creek in Great Sand Dunes National Park is a wide, shallow river that emerges every spring and disappears every August," stated Travel and Leisure. "The creek is dependent on the amount of snow in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, since the runoff forms this annual phenomenon. Visitors can enjoy wading in the water, tubing, skimboarding, and building sand castles."

  • Average high: 78 degrees.

  • Average low: 45 degrees.

  • Average time mostly cloudy to cloudy: 32%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 20%, rainiest late July through August.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 0%.

File: People walk on the Tybee Beach. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)
File: People walk on the Tybee Beach. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)

Tybee Island is just a half-hour car ride from Savannah, Georgia, and offers quiet, nature-filled serenity.

  • Average high: 86 degrees.

  • Average low: 74 degrees.

  • Chance mostly cloudy to cloudy: 51%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 46%.

  • Average water temp: 81 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 83%.

File: A beachgoer crosses the footbridge from Nautilus Road to the sands of Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, Mass.
File: A beachgoer crosses the footbridge from Nautilus Road to the sands of Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, Mass.

Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, Massachusetts, which is the oldest continuously working fishing port in America, is part of the cape north of Cape Cod. You can explore the sand dunes and hermit crabs at low tide, then warm up your feet in the warm, sugar-white sand.

  • Average high: 77 degrees.

  • Average low: 62 degrees.

  • Time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 44%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 28%.

  • Average water temp: 62 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 15%.

File: The beach is in Queens, one of Manhattan's five boroughs.
File: The beach is in Queens, one of Manhattan's five boroughs.

Rockaway Beach is a breath of fresh air in the urban jungle of New York City. A quick subway or bus trip delivers you to 5 miles of action-packed boardwalk and sandy shore.

  • Average high: 81 degrees.

  • Average low: 69 degrees.

  • Time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 42%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 32%.

  • Average water temp: 71 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 20%.

File: Crystal Lake In Autumn.
File: Crystal Lake In Autumn.

Crystal Lake is a 3-mile-long glacial lake that, in some areas, is more than 100 feet deep, according to Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources. You can enjoy about a mile of white sand. There is even a beach house made from granite mined east of the lake.

  • Average high: 75 degrees.

  • Average low: 53 degrees.

  • Time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 50%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 37%.

  • Average water temp: N/A

  • Chance of a muggy day: 8%.

File: Playing in the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
File: Playing in the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The extension of the Florida Panhandle offers soft sand and the brilliant green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf Shores offers miles of family fun.

  • Average high: 88 degrees.

  • Average low: 74 degrees.

  • Time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 45%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 50%.

  • Average water temp: 84 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 88%.

Park Point Beach in Duluth is chock-full of superlatives. Not only is the beach the world's longest freshwater sandbar, but the water is Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.

  • Average high: 75 degrees.

  • Average low: 58 degrees.

  • Amount of time under mostly cloudy to cloudy: 44%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 36%.

  • Average water temp: 55 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 5%.

File: Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area.
File: Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area.

Whether you come for the beach or to enjoy history, Asbury Park has it. The Jersey Shore hot-spot's famous boardwalk was made even more so thanks to local rockers like Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi.

  • Average high: 82 degrees.

  • Average low: 67 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 44%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 33%.

  • Average water temp: 70 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 16%.

The Blue Pacific Meets Carmel River Beach Below A Cypress Tree (Cupressus Macrocarpa) Just South Of Carmel, California. (Photo By: Education Images/Universal Images Group)
The Blue Pacific Meets Carmel River Beach Below A Cypress Tree (Cupressus Macrocarpa) Just South Of Carmel, California. (Photo By: Education Images/Universal Images Group)

CALIFORNIA BEACH HOME TO SOME OF THE LARGEST WAVES IN WORLD

Carmel is a sandy break along the scenic rocky Central California coast. The downtown is a destination in itself. Then, visit the famed Pebble Beach and the iconic Big Sur natural wonders nearby. Travel and Leisure said to bring the dogs for an off-leash dip and picnic, complete with local wine, all allowed.

  • Average high: 64 degrees.

  • Average low: 54 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 20%, cloudy mornings in spring.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 0%.

  • Average water temp: 56 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 0%.

Hilton Head, well known for golf resorts, offers beautiful beaches with dolphin swim-bys, too. Coligny Beach even has a splash fountain to make cleaning off sandy kids fun.

  • Average high: 87 degrees.

  • Average low: 75 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 50%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 45%.

  • Average water temp: 80 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 89%.

File: The sun setting on Alki Beach with views of the Olympic Mountains and downtown Seattle.
File: The sun setting on Alki Beach with views of the Olympic Mountains and downtown Seattle.

You can watch the sunset on Seattle's Space Needle and Pike Place Market Place across the bay from Alki Beach. Travel and Leisure recommends nabbing a table at one of the waterfront restaurants for a sunset dinner.

  • Average high: 75 degrees.

  • Average low: 58 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 44%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 17%.

  • Average water temp: 80 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 0%.

Ocean Beach Park in New London is not only a half mile of sand, from which you can see Montauk, New York, on a clear day. The 50-acre recreational facility also hosts festivals, volleyball tournaments and bands in the evening through the summer.

  • Average high: 76 degrees.

  • Average low: 58 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 44%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 29%.

  • Average water temp: 65 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 28%.

File: People enjoy the sunshine at the beach in Coney Island in New York City.
File: People enjoy the sunshine at the beach in Coney Island in New York City.

Coney Island is a quick and nostalgic trip from New York City. Yes, there is a beach, but the boardwalk leads the way to the amusement park and the New York Aquarium. Anyone not from the New York Tri-State area is probably more familiar with events that Coney Island hosts, like the Polar Bear Plunge and the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

  • Average high: 80 degrees.

  • Average low: 68 degrees.

  • Percent of time skies are mostly cloudy to cloudy: 44%.

  • Percent of days of measurable rain in summer: 30%.

  • Average water temp: 70 degrees.

  • Chance of a muggy day: 25%.


Original article source: What's summer weather like at America's best beaches of 2024?