Today's Whites Reef sea temperature is 15.0 °C
(1.2° warmer than normal for this time of year)
| Mean: | 13.8 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 13.1 °C to 14.5 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 03 Aug (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit, a neoprene hood and gloves.
The water temperature (15 °C) at Whites Reef 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 (9 °C). Gloves are a good idea, neoprene boots optional.
 Map of current Australia Surface Water Temperatures (based on measurements from oceanographic satellites) |  Map of current Australia 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 Whites Reef. 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.
Whites Reef sea temperatures peak in the range 16 to 18°C (61 to 64°F) on around the 16th of February and are at their coldest on about the 12th of September, in the range 13 to 15°C (55 to 59°F). The warmest seasonal sea temperatures at Whites Reef in the middle of February lend themselves to a 4/3mm wetsuit or a 3/2mm suit and 3mm neoprene boots. The coldest sea temperatures at Whites Reef in the second week of September 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 Whites Reef 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 Whites Reef. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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