Today's Periwinkles sea temperature is 19.1 °C
(Slightly cooler than normal (0.7° below average))
| Mean: | 19.8 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 19.2 °C to 20.5 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 09 Sep (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit.
Sunny with very warm air temperatures, feeling like 29 °C once we account for air movement. In contrast the sea remains relatively cold (19 °C). Surfers should wear a spring or summer wetsuit though no doubt some would wear less neoprene on such a warm day, no matter what temperature the sea is.
 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 Periwinkles. 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.
Periwinkles water temperatures peak in the range 23 to 26°C (73 to 79°F) on around the 2nd of February and are at their minimum on about the 5th of September, in the range 19 to 21°C (66 to 70°F). Periwinkles water temperatures are always warm reach their warmest in early February. You'll need a 2mm neoprene top or a shorty at dawn/dusk or if it's windy. The minimum Periwinkles 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 Periwinkles 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 Periwinkles. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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