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Coldest sea in New Zealand in August

245 coastal locations in New Zealand ranked by typical August sea temperature, coldest first. Region-wide average in August: 13.6°C.

Coldest in August

Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku - Perseverance Harbour

7.5°C August mean in New Zealand

Regional August average

13.6°C

across all 245 coastal locations in New Zealand

Vs annual mean

-2.7°C

below the year-round regional average

What the New Zealand sea feels like in August

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.

New Zealand monthly average 13.6°C to 19.3°C
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  • Warmest month February 19.3°C
  • Coldest month August 13.6°C
  • Annual mean 16.3°C
  • Months above 20°C 0 of 12

Where August fits in the year

August sits inside the regional pattern shown on the left. Pick a different month to see how the ranking shifts.

All twelve New Zealand month rankings:

New Zealand sea temperature map (live)

The map shows today's latest reading at every New Zealand location. The list below is based on the typical August mean.

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 New Zealand locations in August

Sorted by typical August mean from a decade of daily readings, coldest first. Click any place for the full location page.

# Location August mean
1 Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku - Perseverance Harbour New Zealand Outlying Islands 7.5°C
2 Auckland Island - Carnley Harbour Auckland 8.7°C
3 Timaru 9.6°C
4 Sumner 9.6°C
5 Akaroa 9.8°C
6 Christchurch 9.8°C
7 Lyttelton 9.8°C
8 French Bay Canterbury 10.1°C
9 Tikao Bay Canterbury 10.1°C
10 Dunedin 10.2°C
11 Portobello 10.2°C
12 Kaka Point 10.3°C
13 Oamaru Otago 10.4°C
14 Green Island Otago 10.5°C
15 Port Chalmers Otago 10.6°C
16 Spit Wharf Otago 10.6°C
17 Nugget Point Otago 10.7°C
18 Riverton/Aparima Southland 10.7°C
19 Invercargill 10.7°C
20 Waipapa Point Southland 10.8°C
21 Bluff Southland 10.8°C
22 Dog Island Southland 10.8°C
23 Waikawa Harbour Southland 10.8°C
24 Kaikoura 10.8°C
25 Riverton 10.9°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 New River Entrance Southland 10.9°C
27 Ruapuke Island Southland 11.0°C
28 Kawakaputa Bay Southland 11.1°C
29 Oban Southland 11.2°C
30 Pahia 11.2°C
31 Yankee River Southland 11.2°C
32 Snares Islands/Tini Heke - North East Island New Zealand Outlying Islands 11.3°C
33 Port Adventure Southland 11.4°C
34 Stewart Island 11.4°C
35 Owenga Chatham Islands Territory 11.9°C
36 Cape Campbell Marlborough 11.9°C
37 Waitangi Chatham Islands Territory 11.9°C
38 Port Craig Southland 12.0°C
39 Kaingaroa Chatham Islands Territory 12.0°C
40 Easy Harbour Southland 12.0°C
41 Small Craft Retreat Southland 12.0°C
42 Ernest Islands Southland 12.1°C
43 Port Underwood Marlborough 12.1°C
44 Mapua 12.2°C
45 Nelson 12.2°C
46 Solander Island (Hautere) Southland 12.2°C
47 Picton 12.3°C
48 Lucky Bay Marlborough 12.4°C
49 Chalky Island - Sealers Bay Southland 12.4°C
50 Coal Island - Fishing Bay Southland 12.4°C

Warmest 10 in New Zealand in August

Same data the other way. The warmest spots for the same month.

# Location August mean
1 Fishing Rock Sugar Loaf Islands 18.8°C
2 Coopers Beach 16.4°C
3 Bay of Islands 16.3°C
4 Waiiti Bay Northland 16.2°C
5 Kerikeri 16.2°C
6 North Cape (Otou) Northland 16.2°C
7 Whangamumu Harbour Northland 16.1°C
8 Doubtless Bay 16.1°C
9 Karikari Peninsula 16.1°C
10 Taipa 16.1°C

More on this region