Surfside Beach sargassum & beach forecast

Surfside Beach, TX · Upper Texas Coast, United States · 28.945, -95.287

Updated Nov 13, 2026, 01:00 UTC: very low seaweed, beach grade A, sea 74°F.

Veabird's call

FriASatB+SunBMonB-TueB+

Friday Nov 13 stands out at A, 0.7 ft calm water and 74°F sea.

October (A) and September (A-) rate best, and January usually has lowest seaweed.

Grades from Veabird's beach forecast; wording by AI (Muse Spark), checked against the forecast. Updated Nov 13, 01:00 UTC.

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Tell me when Surfside Beach is clear

One email when the seaweed clears or the beach grades A, at most once a week per beach. We only ask for your email address, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe.

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Questions about Surfside Beach

Does Surfside Beach get sargassum (seaweed)?

Rarely. Veabird estimates moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach here in fewer than one week in ten in every month. Landings vary by year, wind and currents.

How warm is the water at Surfside Beach?

About 73°F in November. The sea is warmest in August (about 89°F) and coolest in January (about 58°F).

When is the best time to visit Surfside Beach?

For warm water and dry weather, aim for October. October brings about 10 rainy days and a sea near 80°F.

When is hurricane season at Surfside Beach, and how often do storms hit?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June through November and peaks around September. A tropical storm passed within 86 miles of Surfside Beach in 22 of the 55 seasons from 1971 to 2025, and a hurricane within 58 miles in 9. The riskiest stretch is around August 27, when the chance of a storm passing in any one week is about 5%; across all of September it is about 15%. Flexible bookings and travel insurance help in the peak weeks.

Sargassum season at Surfside Beach Rentals

Sargassum is rare at Surfside Beach Rentals: Veabird estimates moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach in fewer than one week in ten in every month.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Estimated share of weeks in each month with moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach. Veabird takes the landing season seen on Quintana Roo's beaches (a Puerto Morelos beach camera, 2015–2020, and the Mexican Navy's beach alerts, 2022–2026), the nearest coast with a multi-year beach record (this one has none), and scales it by how often NOAA AOML satellites see notable seaweed within about 20 km of this stretch of coast: 1% of weeks here on average, against 54% off Quintana Roo, so 2% of that season. The satellite share (2016–2024, the top fifth of all coast-weeks, adjusted for this beach's exposure of 72%) measures seaweed offshore, not on the sand: off the Riviera Maya it reads high even in winter, when little lands. Very low under 10%, Low 10–24%, Moderate 25–44%, High 45–69%, Very high 70%+. Beach faces 140°; onshore winds from that direction push seaweed ashore. Satellite sargassum data: USF Optical Oceanography Lab (Sargassum Watch System) via NOAA AOML. The satellite record as open data.

Galveston & the Upper Texas Coast month by month

Typical weather, water temperature, seaweed and crowds for every month: the best time to visit Galveston & the Upper Texas Coast.

Weather, water & seaweed by month at Surfside Beach Rentals

Average highs run from about 62°F in January to 89°F in August. The sea is warmest in August (about 89°F) and coolest in January (about 58°F). February and December are usually the driest, with about 9 rainy days each; May and August are the wettest, with about 18 rainy days.

Month	Avg high	Sea	Rainy days	Sargassum
Jan	62°F	58°F	10	Very low
Feb	65°F	60°F	9	Very low
Mar	71°F	67°F	13	Very low
Apr	76°F	74°F	16	Very low
May	81°F	81°F	18	Very low
Jun	86°F	86°F	16	Very low
Jul	88°F	88°F	17	Very low
Aug	89°F	89°F	18	Very low
Sep	86°F	86°F	14	Very low
Oct	80°F	80°F	10	Very low
Nov	72°F	73°F	10	Very low
Dec	67°F	64°F	9	Very low

Monthly averages from 6 years of ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo) for this area's 0.5° grid cell; rainy days have at least 1 mm (0.04 in). Sargassum is the typical-year estimate described above. Any given year can differ.

Cleanup & barriers

Offshore barriers: None offshore.
Public cleanup: Galveston Park Board beach maintenance rakes and uses seaweed for dune building.
Resort crews: Seawall-front properties rely on Park Board crews.
Typical clearing time: 1–2 days

Safety notes

US domestic

Rip currents near groins/jetties along the Seawall.
Portuguese man o' war possible in spring.

Check official advisories and local flags before swimming. Decomposing sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide; avoid heavy piles.

Things to do near Surfside Beach, TX

The Strand Historic District
Moody Gardens pyramids
Pleasure Pier
Space Center Houston (45 min)

Fly in for the best beach days

Suggested dates are a week in December. Change them to match the live forecast above.

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Nearest airports

Houston Hobby (HOU), ~78 km
Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), ~116 km

Nearby resorts

Holiday Inn Club Vacations Galveston Seaside Resort Galveston, TX · 36 km
Galveston West End Beach Rentals Galveston, TX · 40 km
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Galveston Beach Resort Galveston, TX · 49 km
Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Galveston West/Seawall Galveston, TX · 54 km
Best Western Plus Galveston Suites Galveston, TX · 55 km
Moody Gardens Hotel Galveston, TX · 56 km

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