Today's Sunset Cliffs sea temperature is 20.5 °C
(2.6°C warmer than normal for this time of year)
| Mean: | 17.9 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 16.4 °C to 19.2 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 19 Jun (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a shorty .
The water temperature (20 °C) at Sunset Cliffs is warm and the air temperature should feel similar (windchill forecast 18 °C). If the sun does come out as forecast, it should feel warm enough to surf in a shorty or a summer wetsuit.
 Map of current United States Surface Water Temperatures (based on measurements from oceanographic satellites) |  Map of current United States 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 Sunset Cliffs. 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.
Sunset Cliffs sea temperatures peak in the range 19 to 22°C (66 to 72°F) on around the 5th of September and are at their lowest on about the 3rd of February, in the range 13 to 17°C (55 to 63°F). Sunset Cliffs sea temperatures are highest at the beginning of September. Surfers should use a 2mm long sleeve shorty or a 3/2mm spring wetsuit if the wind is up. The lowest sea temperatures at Sunset Cliffs at the start 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.
Actual sea surface water temperatures close to shore at Sunset Cliffs 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 Sunset Cliffs. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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