Low tide, radar and weather for today.
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Radar: Iowa Environmental Mesonet · Land outline Natural Earth
Today, hour by hour
Every low tide, every beachEvery beach, lowest first
Today's daytime low for every shelling beach we track on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, from Pensacola to Bahia Honda in the Keys.
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All times Eastern. Tides are NOAA predictions; temperatures, sky and UV from the National Weather Service.
The week's low tides
Each day's daytime low tide, with the moon phase that drives how low it goes.
Longer bar, lower tide.
Found something pretty? Find out what it is, and start a collection you'll love.Found something pretty? Find out what it is.
Look up any shell you pick up on the beach, from a tiny coquina to a once-in-a-lifetime junonia, by shape, color, size and rarity. In the app, every find goes into your own collection, and you earn badges as it grows. Perfect for first-time beachcombers and lifelong shellers alike.Look up any shell you pick up on the beach. In the app, save every find to your collection and earn badges as it grows.
- First FindLog your very first shell
- Sunrise ShellerOut before 8 AM on a low tide
- Lightning StrikeFind a lightning whelk
- Junonia DreamerThe one every sheller hopes for
Your beach, your finds, one tap away
Everything on this page stays free. The app adds the parts that are yours.Everything here stays free. The app adds the parts that are yours:
- Home beach firstOpens to its week of lows, wind and weather, in feet or meters.· its week of lows and weather
- Shell collection & badgesCheck off finds from the guide and earn badges as you go.· check off what you find
- Field reports with photosLots, some or few shells, renourishing, access issues.· what's washing up
- Any day's tides & radarEvery high and low, hour-by-hour conditions and alerts.· every high, low and alert
Leave your email and we'll send one note the day the app launches.
One email at launch. Unsubscribe any time.Before you head out
Quick answers to what shellers ask most about tides, timing and the rules.
When is the best time to go shelling in Florida?
Go in the hour or two around low tide, ideally at first light before other shellers arrive. The lowest tides of the month come around new and full moons, and the best wash-ups usually follow a few days of strong onshore wind or a passing storm or cold front.
What time is low tide on Sanibel Island today?
Shell Forecast shows today's low and high tide times and heights for Sanibel Lighthouse Beach and Bowman's Beach at the top of the page. Times come from NOAA tide predictions and update daily.
Where are the best shelling beaches in Florida?
Sanibel Island is the best known, especially Bowman's Beach and Lighthouse Beach. Nearby Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island, Tigertail Beach on Marco Island and Naples are also popular. On the Atlantic side, look after strong northeast winds.
Can I take live shells from Florida beaches?
Not in Lee County, which includes Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach and Boca Grande: only empty shells may be collected. Elsewhere, taking live shells generally requires a Florida saltwater fishing license, and many state parks ban it. Check local rules first.
Where does the tide and weather data come from?
Tide times and heights are NOAA predictions from the tide station nearest each beach. Wind, temperature, rain chance, UV, air quality and marine alerts come from the National Weather Service. Precipitation rate is from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Sunrise, first light and moon phases are calculated for each beach.
Is Shell Forecast free?
Yes. Tides, weather, maps and the shell guide are free to browse, no account needed. The Shell Forecast app, with a saved home beach, shell collection and field reports, is coming soon; join the waitlist to hear when it launches.