Today's Tahunanui Beach sea temperature is 11.7 °C
(Slightly cooler than normal (0.6° below average))
| Mean: | 12.3 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 11.4 °C to 13.3 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 07 Aug (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a winter wetsuit, a neoprene hood, gloves and boots.
The water temperature (11 °C) at Tahunanui Beach is quite cold. Despite the sun, windchill of 8 °C means that surfers will need plenty of neoprene. Wear a quality winter wetsuit, a neoprene hood, gloves and boots. A windchill factor of (8 °C).
 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 Tahunanui 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.
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.
Tahunanui water temperatures peak in the range 16 to 19°C (61 to 66°F) on around the 7th of February and are at their coldest on about the 21st of August, in the range 11 to 13°C (52 to 55°F). The warmest seasonal water temperatures at Tahunanui in the first part of February lend themselves to a 4/3mm wetsuit or a 3/2mm suit and 3mm neoprene boots. The coldest water temperatures at Tahunanui in mid to late 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 Tahunanui 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 Tahunanui Beach. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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