Ponce Inlet Tide ChartPonce de Leon Inlet, Florida
Updated 10:32 AM EDT on Wednesday, August 26, 2026
The tide at Ponce Inlet is falling, currently 1.6 ft above MLLW, with the next low tide at 1:35 pm (0.3 ft). Today's range is 3.2 ft on a mixed semi-diurnal tide, in a neap period.
Ponce Inlet tide chart
Predicted water level at the Ponce De Leon Inlet South station, in feet above MLLW. Drag or hover the chart to read any point.
Ponce Inlet tide times — next 5 days
| Day | Tides | Range | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| TodayAug 26 | Low1:49 am0.6 ftHigh7:49 am2.8 ftLow1:35 pm0.3 ftHigh8:18 pm3.5 ft | 3.2 ft | 6:58 am7:52 pm |
| TomorrowAug 27 | Low2:26 am0.5 ftHigh8:33 am2.9 ftLow2:18 pm0.3 ftHigh8:58 pm3.5 ft | 3.2 ft | 6:58 am7:50 pm |
| FridayAug 28 | Low3:00 am0.5 ftHigh9:15 am3.1 ftLow3:00 pm0.3 ftHigh9:36 pm3.5 ft | 3.2 ft | 6:59 am7:49 pm |
| SaturdayAug 29 | Low3:34 am0.4 ftHigh9:55 am3.2 ftLow3:42 pm0.3 ftHigh10:13 pm3.4 ft | 3.1 ft | 6:59 am7:48 pm |
| SundayAug 30 | Low4:08 am0.4 ftHigh10:36 am3.3 ftLow4:27 pm0.4 ftHigh10:51 pm3.3 ft | 3.0 ft | 7:00 am7:47 pm |
Heights in feet above MLLW. Sunrise above, sunset below.
About the tide in Ponce Inlet
Ponce de Leon Inlet is the Atlantic gateway for Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and the whole Halifax River system, and it has a reputation up and down the Florida coast as an inlet that demands respect. The tide is central to that reputation — this is a place where the difference between an easy crossing and a genuinely dangerous one is often just a matter of which way the water is running.
Northeast Florida runs a clean semi-diurnal tide — two highs and two lows a day, roughly equal, on a range in the three-to-four-foot band. That is enough water to move a lot of volume through the inlet, and Ponce drains both the Halifax River to the north and the Indian River North to the south.
The hazard is the bar across the mouth. On an ebb tide, outflowing current runs directly into incoming Atlantic swell over shallow water, and the result is a short, steep, breaking sea that has caused repeated casualties here. The inlet is jettied and the channel is marked, but neither changes the physics: a strong ebb against an east or northeast swell is the condition to avoid, and the difference between that and the same day on a flood tide is dramatic.
Inside, the tide is gentler and later. Water levels in the Halifax River lag the ocean and run a smaller range, so the times below — taken at the inlet itself — will arrive progressively later as you move up toward Daytona.
Ponce Inlet tide questions
What time is high tide in Ponce Inlet today?
High tide in Ponce Inlet today is at 7:49 am (2.8 ft) and 8:18 pm (3.5 ft). The 8:18 pm high of 3.5 ft is the larger of the two — that difference between the day's two highs is called diurnal inequality and is normal here.
What time is low tide in Ponce Inlet today?
Low tide in Ponce Inlet today is at 1:49 am (0.6 ft) and 1:35 pm (0.3 ft).
What is the tide range in Ponce Inlet?
Today's range in Ponce Inlet — the difference between the day's highest high and lowest low — is 3.2 ft. The average over the next two weeks is 3.3 ft, so today is below-average. Range varies through the month on the spring–neap cycle.
Is this week a spring tide or a neap tide in Ponce Inlet?
This week is a neap tide period in Ponce Inlet — predicted daily ranges are at or near their smallest of the cycle. Spring tides bring the largest ranges and the strongest currents; neap tides the smallest. This is worked out from the predicted water levels themselves rather than from moon phase, which does not always line up — especially on the Gulf coast.
How many tides a day does Ponce Inlet get?
Ponce Inlet has a mixed semi-diurnal tide: two highs and two lows a day, but the two highs are noticeably unequal — averaging about 0.3 ft apart. That inequality is normal and predictable.
What time is sunrise and sunset in Ponce Inlet today?
Sunrise in Ponce Inlet today is at 6:58 am and sunset is at 7:52 pm. The moon is waxing gibbous, 97% illuminated.
What tide datum are these Ponce Inlet heights measured from?
All heights on this page are in feet above MLLW (mean lower low water), the standard chart datum used by NOAA for US tide predictions. A predicted height of 0.0 ft means water at the datum, not a dry bottom — and negative predictions do occur on the biggest spring lows.
How accurate are these Ponce Inlet tide predictions?
They are astronomical predictions from NOAA harmonic constituents for the Ponce De Leon Inlet South station, which is the same basis NOAA publishes its own tables on. They account for the motion of the sun and moon but not for weather. Sustained wind, barometric pressure and river flow can all push real water levels above or below the prediction, sometimes by a foot or more in a strong blow.
When is the safest time to cross the Ponce Inlet bar?
Generally on a flood (incoming) tide or near slack water, when the current is not opposing the swell. The dangerous combination at Ponce is a strong ebb running out against an east or northeast ocean swell, which stands the sea up steeply and causes it to break across the bar. Always check the current sea state and swell direction, not just the tide stage.
Are Ponce Inlet tide times the same as Daytona Beach?
Close, but not identical. The times on this page are measured at the inlet. Inside the Halifax River toward Daytona the tide arrives later and with a reduced range, and the further up the river you go the greater the lag. For the beachfront at Daytona the ocean times here are a good guide.
Can I get tides and a marine forecast for my own spot near Ponce Inlet?
Yes. The free SeaLegs AI app gives tide predictions plus wind, wave and an AI-rated GO / CAUTION / NO-GO call for any spot you drop a pin on — not just listed stations.
Other Florida tide charts
Fort Lauderdale tide chart, Jacksonville Beach tide chart, Sarasota tide chart, Sebastian Inlet tide chart, St. Augustine tide chart
Tides are one input. Get the whole picture.
SeaLegs AI puts tides next to wind, waves, period and an honest GO / CAUTION / NO-GO call for any spot you drop a pin on — not just listed stations. Free on iOS and Android.
- Station
- Ponce De Leon Inlet South
- NOAA ID
- 8721147
- Position
- 29.0633, -80.9158
- Datum
- MLLW
Astronomical tide predictions derived from NOAA harmonic constituents. These do not account for weather — sustained wind, barometric pressure and river flow can push actual water levels above or below the prediction. Not for navigation.