Water is Perfect....been there over Christmas week and did the snorkeling thing....Lots to see. You will have a great time. Watch out for the sea urchins.
Ed

Hello,

You can get average and daily weather facts/info at

https://www.vinow.com/general_usvi/faq/#Climate/Sunrise

Thats in the General Guide section of this web site, under Island Facts, Climate. 🙂 Or just cut and paste that link above.

TODAY: This is a report for Charlotte Amalie, Cyril E. King International Airport, Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands, U.S.. The temperature was 82 °F, with a dew-point at 68 °F. The temperature feels like 85 °F. The atmospheric pressure was 30.02 inHg. The relative humidity was 61.9%. There were a few clouds at a height of 3000 feet. The overall visibility was 10.0 miles.

Water temperature is usually around 79-80 degrees at this time of year.

--Islander

Hey Jane:

Water temps as previously posted by Islander are around 79-80 degree.

I would describe this temperature as very comfortable. The water is cool enough to feel very refreshing after sitting on the beach in the sun for awhile; but not cool enough were you would feel uncomfortable and want a wetsuit.

I know many of the beaches on the US East Coast well. Down south the water is bathtub warm and not refreshing at all –especially in the late summer. Farther north, like the New Jersey coast where I spent my summers as a kid, the water is very cold until late summer and numbing for any extended period without a wetsuit. I think you will find the water here in the Virgin Islands perfect. I have snorkeled off my beach for hours at a time in nothing but a swimsuit, swim fins, mask and snorkel.

I would add to what Ed said – ‘watch out for sea urchins’. I never go in the water deeper than I can sea the bottom with out water socks or booties. A water sock is a mesh shoe with a hard-formed rubber bottom. A bootie is similar but the top is made of neoprene like a wet suit.

Once you see the sea urchins on the bottom you will not want too swim with out foot protection either! Some folks would say, ‘big ocean – little foot - what are the odds?’ Tourist vacationing here swim without foot protection all of the time but one unlucky step on a sea urchin would ruin their day. Also, many of our beaches are a little rocky once you venture off of the ‘beaten path’.

You can buy the water socks and booties in most shoe stores, K-Mart, and all dive shops here or add to your packing list. You could also bring an old pair of tennis shoes along that you don’t mind getting wet and swim in those. I use this technique with my 10-year old son with success.

/r
GoneBush in St. Croix

PS. You may want to wear a shirt while snorkeling for sun protection on your back unless you get tan on the way down : )