Today's Barbel Point sea temperature is 17.3 °C
(3.0° colder than average for this time of year)
| Mean: | 20.3 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 19.2 °C to 21.6 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 04 Oct (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit.
Sunny with pleasantly warm air temperatures (feeling like 24 °C once we account for wind), yet at 17 °C the sea remains several degrees colder than the air at Barbel Point. The majority of surfers will need a spring wetsuit though a summer suit or even a shorty may suffice for a short session.
 Map of current South Africa Surface Water Temperatures (based on measurements from oceanographic satellites) |  Map of current South Africa 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 Barbel Point. 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.
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.
Barbel Point water temperatures peak in the range 23 to 26°C (73 to 79°F) on around the 2nd of February and are at their coldest on about the 5th of September, in the range 19 to 21°C (66 to 70°F). Barbel Point water temperatures are always warm reach their highest in early February. You'll need a 2mm neoprene top or a shorty at dawn/dusk or if it's windy. The coldest Barbel Point water temperatures at the beginning of September require something like a 3/2mm fully sealed wetsuit.
Actual sea surface water temperatures close to shore at Barbel Point 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 Barbel Point. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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