Today's Lighthouse Reef sea temperature is 10.9 °C
(1.3°C warmer than normal for this time of year)
| Mean: | 9.6 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 8.1 °C to 11.3 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 20 Jun (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a winter wetsuit and neoprene boots.
The Lighthouse Reef water temperature is rather cold (10 °C). Although it will be cloudy today, air temperatures will be relatively mild, feeling like 13 °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 New Zealand Surface Water Temperatures (based on measurements from oceanographic satellites) |  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 Lighthouse Reef. 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.
Lighthouse Reef water temperatures peak in the range 13 to 16°C (55 to 61°F) on around the 7th of February and are at their coldest on about the 9th of August, in the range 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F). The warmest water temperatures at Lighthouse Reef in the first part of February 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. The coldest water temperatures at Lighthouse Reef mean that you will need a flexible 6/5/4mm wetsuit or a well fitting 5/4mm wetsuit with gloves and 5mm neoprene booties and a hood to surf here in early to mid August.
Actual sea surface water temperatures close to shore at Lighthouse Reef 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 Lighthouse Reef. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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