These Virginia beaches have the highest sea nettle chance on today's forecast, ranked heaviest first. The values come from the VIMS and NOAA Chesapeake Bay sea nettle maps, translated into plain labels. If a spot you had in mind is near the top, it may be a good day to pick somewhere else.
This is a forecast of likelihood, not a jellyfish count, and it can shift within a day. If you swim at a heavier beach, consider a rash guard and keep an eye on the water.
| Rank | Locality | Condition | Chance | Beach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westmoreland County | Heavy | 80% | Colonial Beach |
| 2 | Williamsburg | Heavy | 78% | College Creek shoreline |
| 3 | King George County | Heavy | 72% | Dahlgren Wayside Park |
| 4 | Middlesex County | Heavy | 72% | Urbanna Creek |
| 5 | Lancaster County | Heavy | 66% | Windmill Point - Westland Beach |
| 6 | James City County | Heavy | 63% | Jamestown Beach Event Park |
| 7 | Northumberland County | Heavy | 53% | Hughlett Point Natural Area |
| 8 | Newport News | Moderate | 37% | Huntington Park Beach |
| 9 | Suffolk | Moderate | 33% | Bennett's Creek Park |
| 10 | Mathews County | Moderate | 28% | Haven Beach |
| 11 | York County | Moderate | 26% | Yorktown Beach |
| 12 | Portsmouth | Light | 24% | Paradise Creek Nature Park |
| 13 | Gloucester County | Light | 23% | Gloucester Point Beach Park |
| 14 | Yorktown | Light | 23% | Yorktown Beach |
| 15 | Stafford County | Light | 22% | Aquia Landing Park |
| 16 | Alexandria | Light | 18% | Waterfront Park |
| 17 | Poquoson | Light | 13% | Messick Point |
| 18 | Hampton | Light | 8% | Buckroe Beach |
| 19 | Norfolk | Light | 8% | Ocean View Beach Park |
| 20 | Virginia Beach | Light | 4% | Virginia Beach Oceanfront |
| 21 | Chesapeake | Light | 0% | Great Bridge Lock Park |
Rankings update daily. To find a calmer spot, see the best beaches to avoid jellyfish today. For safety, read our sting first aid guide and tips on how to avoid jellyfish.
Source maps are model guidance from VIMS and NOAA/NCCOS. They are useful for a quick beach check, but they do not count jellyfish in the water and may not match conditions at every shoreline.