Today's Clifton Beach sea temperature is 12.7 °C
(Slightly warmer than usual (0.9° above average))
| Mean: | 11.8 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 10.3 °C to 12.9 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 23 Sep (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a winter wetsuit and neoprene boots.
The Clifton Beach water temperature is rather cold (12 °C). Although it will be cloudy today, air temperatures will be relatively mild, feeling like 12 °C, so feeling about the same in the water as out of it. A winter steamer or even a good quality spring wetsuit and neoprene boots should suffice. Wear a hood and gloves if you have not been surfing for a while.
 Map of current Australia Surface Water Temperatures (based on measurements from oceanographic satellites) |  Map of current Australia 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 Clifton Beach. 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.
Clifton Beach water temperatures peak in the range 14 to 18°C (57 to 64°F) on around the 5th of March and are at their minimum on about the 8th of August, in the range 11 to 13°C (52 to 55°F). The highest seasonal water temperatures at Clifton Beach at the beginning of March lend themselves to a 4/3mm wetsuit or a 3/2mm suit and 3mm neoprene boots. At its minimum in early to mid August, low water temperatures at Clifton Beach are suited to a 5/4mm or 5/3mm good quality wetsuit with neoprene gloves and 3mm boots. You will need a hood if it's windy or the air is cold.
Actual sea surface water temperatures close to shore at Clifton Beach 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 Clifton Beach. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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