Today's San Francisco sea temperature is 18.0 °C
(1.5° warmer than normal for this time of year)
| Mean: | 16.5 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 14.4 °C to 19.1 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 10 Nov (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit.
Sunny with pleasantly warm air temperatures (feeling like 21 °C once we account for wind), yet at 18 °C the sea remains several degrees colder than the air at San Francisco. 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 Uruguay Surface Water Temperatures (based on measurements from oceanographic satellites) |  Map of current Uruguay 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 San Francisco. 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.
San Francisco sea water temperatures peak in the range 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F) on around the 29th of January and are at their minimum on about the 6th of August, in the range 7 to 13°C (45 to 55°F). San Francisco sea water temperatures are always warm reach their maximum in late January. You'll need a 2mm neoprene top or a shorty at dawn/dusk or if it's windy. At its minimum in the first week of August, low sea water temperatures at San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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