Ninety Mile Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.16° S 173.15° E

Ninety Mile Beach Sea Temperature and Wetsuit Guide

Issued: 11 pm 19 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Ninety Mile Beach sea temperature is
15.0° C
0.1° 

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

Today's Ninety Mile Beach sea temperature is 15.0 °C

(Normal for this time of year (within 0.1° of average))

Mean: 15.1 °C
Range: 14.0 °C to 16.1 °C
Statistics for 19 Aug (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 (15 °C) at Ninety Mile Beach 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 (11 °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 Ninety Mile 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.

Ninety Mile Beach 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.

Ninety Mile Beach water temperatures peak in the range 20 to 23°C (68 to 73°F) on around the 7th of February and are at their lowest on about the 24th of August, in the range 14 to 16°C (57 to 61°F). Ninety Mile Beach water temperatures are maximum 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 lowest water temperatures at Ninety Mile Beach in the fourth week of 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 Ninety Mile 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 Ninety Mile Beach. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.

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