Today's Whatarangi Point and Bombora sea temperature is 13.1 °C
(1.0° warmer than normal for this time of year)
| Mean: | 12.1 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 11.1 °C to 13.4 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 20 Sep (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit, a neoprene hood and gloves.
The water temperature (13 °C) at Whatarangi Point and Bombora is quite cool. You will need a quality spring wetsuit, and maybe neoprene hood because it will be cloudy with an effective air temperature of just (6 °C). Gloves are a good idea, neoprene boots optional.
 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 Whatarangi Point and Bombora. 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.
Whatarangi Bombora water temperatures peak in the range 16 to 19°C (61 to 66°F) on around the 8th of February and are at their minimum on about the 27th of August, in the range 11 to 13°C (52 to 55°F). The maximum seasonal water temperatures at Whatarangi Bombora in early to mid February lend themselves to a 4/3mm wetsuit or a 3/2mm suit and 3mm neoprene boots. At its minimum in the last days of August, low water temperatures at Whatarangi Bombora 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 Whatarangi Point and Bombora 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 Whatarangi Point and Bombora. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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