What to expect
Early August on the Gulf is hot, humid, and bright, with a near-daily afternoon storm that usually blows through fast. Plan around it and it's a non-issue.
Typical early-August averages for Destin. The humidity pushes the real feel past 100° at midday, and the water is bath-warm.
Highs sit near 90° but the humidity makes midday feel over 100°. That's why the whole week leans the same way: beach and outdoor parks in the morning, pool and air conditioning through the hottest hours, and outings again in the evening. Hydrate harder than feels necessary and keep reef-safe sunscreen on a reapply schedule, the kids especially.
Gulf Coast summer runs on a clock: sun in the morning, clouds building by early afternoon, a loud thunderstorm that often clears within an hour, then a calm evening. It rarely kills a whole day. Keep beach plans early, save Gulfarium, the Commons, or a putt-putt for when a storm rolls in, and don't be on the water when lightning is around.
Destin flies a colored-flag warning system at public beaches. Check it before anyone gets in, and respect it with the kids.
Rip currents are the real risk here, not the temperature. If anyone gets caught, swim parallel to shore, don't fight straight back in.
August falls inside Atlantic hurricane season, and the Gulf can spin up tropical systems. The odds of any one week being affected are low, but watch the National Hurricane Center forecast in the days before you leave so nothing's a surprise, and know your Airbnb cancellation terms just in case. Far more likely you just get the standard hot, beautiful, slightly stormy Gulf week.