Karekare Surf Break
Lat Long: 37.00° S 174.48° E

Karekare Sea Temperature and Wetsuit Guide

Weather Forecast for Karekare

Issued: 11 am 09 Jun 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Karekare sea temperature is
16.8° C

Slightly warmer than usual

Karekare surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

Today's Karekare sea temperature is 16.8 °C

(Slightly warmer than usual)

Mean: 16.0 °C
Range: 15.0 °C to 17.1 °C
Statistics for 09 Jun (1981–2005)
  • neoprene gloves for warmth, grip, and protection in cold temperatures
  • wetsuit boots for warmth, grip, and protection in cold temperatures

Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit, neoprene gloves and boots.

The water temperature (16 °C) at Karekare is quite cool. If the sun does come out as forecast, it should feel warm enough to surf in a good sealed spring wetsuit. Some surfers would prefer to wear gloves and boots too. Effective windchill factor of (13 °C) will make the air and water feel about the same temperature.

New Zealand Sea Water Temperature

Map of current New Zealand
Surface Water Temperatures

(based on measurements from oceanographic satellites)
New Zealand Water Temperature Anomaly

Map of current New Zealand
Sea Water Temperature Anomalies

(compared with long term averages
at this time of year)

click thumbnails to expand

Below is a graph of Historical Sea Surface Temperature for Karekare. This has been derived from analysis of two decades of oceanographic satellite measurements of nearby open water. We have calculated the average water temperature variation around the year as well as the extremes that have been observed on each date.

Karekare Water Temperature Graph

All of the graphs for the surf breaks presented on Surf-Forecast.com are on the same scale to enable comparison between locations around the world.

Karekare sea water temperatures peak in the range 19 to 22°C (66 to 72°F) on around the 7th of February and are at their coldest on about the 21st of August, in the range 13 to 15°C (55 to 59°F). Karekare sea water temperatures are warmest in the first part of February. Surfers should use a 2mm long sleeve shorty or a 3/2mm spring wetsuit if the wind is up. The coldest sea water temperatures at Karekare in mid to late August are ideally suited to a 4/3mm wetsuit + 3mm boots, although a 5/3mm wetsuit may be preferable for longer sessions and cold windy days.

Actual sea surface water temperatures close to shore at Karekare can vary by several degrees compared with these open water averages. This is especially true after heavy rain, close to river mouths or after long periods of strong offshore winds. Offshore winds cause colder deep water to replace surface water that has been warmed by the sun. Air temperature, wind-chill and sunshine should also be considered before deciding on the kind of wetsuit needed to stay warm when surfing at Karekare. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.

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