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Coldest beach in North Carolina

138 coastal locations in North Carolina ranked by year-round average sea temperature, coldest first. The state-wide average is 19.6°C. The coldest month is February at 10.6°C. Click any beach for its 30-day chart and 10-year history.

Coldest year-round

Corolla

16.7°C annual mean

State-wide average

19.6°C

across 138 North Carolina coastal locations

Coldest month

February

10.6°C state-wide average

What the water feels like in February

Water at this temperature is cold and will feel very cold initially, but the body will get used to it and longer swims are possible. Experienced swimmers can manage several hours of swimming, however hypothermia is still a real risk.

North Carolina monthly average 10.6°C to 27.7°C
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  • Warmest month August 27.7°C
  • Coldest month February 10.6°C
  • Annual mean 19.6°C
  • Months above 20°C 6 of 12

Month by month around the North Carolina coast

North Carolina sea temperatures swing from 10.6°C in February to 27.7°C in August on average across the coast. That's a spread of 17°C. Pick a single month for a focused ranking:

North Carolina sea temperature map

Today's pin colours show the latest daily reading at every North Carolina beach we track. Drag and zoom; click any pin for that beach's full page.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →
°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Top 50 coldest beaches in North Carolina

Sorted by year-round average. Click any beach for its 30-day chart, monthly profile, and 10-year history.

# Location Annual mean
1 Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina North Carolina 19.7°C
2 Cape Hatteras North Carolina 19.6°C
3 Frisco North Carolina 19.6°C
4 Hatteras Island North Carolina 19.6°C
5 Avon Seafood dock, Peter's Ditch, Avon North Carolina 19.3°C
6 Ocracoke North Carolina 19.3°C
7 Oriental North Carolina 19.0°C
8 Pamlico River North Carolina 19.0°C
9 Rose Bay North Carolina 19.0°C
10 Swanquarter North Carolina 19.0°C
11 Davis, Core Sound North Carolina 18.9°C
12 Sea Level, Core Sound North Carolina 18.9°C
13 Belhaven North Carolina 18.8°C
14 Cedar Island North Carolina 18.8°C
15 Columbia North Carolina 18.8°C
16 Rodanthe, Pamlico Sound, North Carolina North Carolina 18.4°C
17 Avon North Carolina 18.4°C
18 Buxton North Carolina 18.4°C
19 Davis Slough, North Carolina North Carolina 18.1°C
20 Outer Banks North Carolina 17.6°C
21 Rodanthe North Carolina 17.6°C
22 Salvo North Carolina 17.6°C
23 Waves North Carolina 17.6°C
24 Manns Harbor, outer coast North Carolina 17.2°C
25 Edenton North Carolina 17.1°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Hertford North Carolina 17.1°C
27 FRF Pier, Duck North Carolina 17.1°C
28 Jennettes Pier, Nags Head (ocean), North Carolina North Carolina 17.1°C
29 Kitty Hawk (ocean), North Carolina North Carolina 17.1°C
30 Old House Channel, North Carolina North Carolina 17.1°C
31 Oregon Inlet Bridge, North Carolina North Carolina 17.1°C
32 Oregon Inlet Channel, North Carolina North Carolina 17.1°C
33 Oregon Inlet Marina, Pamlico Sound North Carolina 17.1°C
34 Oregon Inlet, North Carolina North Carolina 17.1°C
35 Oregon Inlet (USCG Station) North Carolina 17.1°C
36 Oyster Creek, Croatan Sound North Carolina 17.1°C
37 Roanoke Marshes Light, outer coast North Carolina 17.1°C
38 Roanoke Sound Channel, North Carolina North Carolina 17.1°C
39 Albemarle Sound North Carolina 17.0°C
40 Croatan Sound North Carolina 17.0°C
41 Duck North Carolina 17.0°C
42 Manteo North Carolina 17.0°C
43 Nags Head North Carolina 17.0°C
44 Roanoke Island North Carolina 17.0°C
45 Wanchese North Carolina 17.0°C
46 Kill Devil Hills North Carolina 16.9°C
47 Kitty Hawk North Carolina 16.9°C
48 Southern Shores North Carolina 16.9°C
49 Corolla North Carolina 16.7°C
50 Currituck North Carolina 16.7°C

Warmest 10 in North Carolina for contrast

Same data flipped. The warmest year-round spots in the state.

# Location Annual mean
1 Atlantic Beach North Carolina 21.9°C
2 Beaufort North Carolina 21.9°C
3 Cape Lookout North Carolina 21.9°C
4 Harkers Island North Carolina 21.9°C
5 Morehead City North Carolina 21.9°C
6 Cape Hatteras (fishing pier) North Carolina 21.6°C
7 Cape Hatteras, North Carolina North Carolina 21.6°C
8 Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina North Carolina 21.6°C
9 Hatteras (ocean), North Carolina North Carolina 21.6°C
10 Hatteras (USCG Station) North Carolina 21.6°C

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