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Coldest sea in New Zealand in December

245 coastal locations in New Zealand ranked by typical December sea temperature, coldest first. Region-wide average in December: 17.6°C.

Coldest in December

Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku - Perseverance Harbour

8.7°C December mean in New Zealand

Regional December average

17.6°C

across all 245 coastal locations in New Zealand

Vs annual mean

+1.3°C

above the year-round regional average

What the New Zealand sea feels like in December

At this temperature, water will feel cold compared to a swimming pool, but with a bit of experience and practice most people will find the water relatively comfortable to swim in.

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 December fits in the year

December 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 December 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 December

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

# Location December mean
1 Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku - Perseverance Harbour New Zealand Outlying Islands 8.7°C
2 Auckland Island - Carnley Harbour Auckland 9.9°C
3 Snares Islands/Tini Heke - North East Island New Zealand Outlying Islands 12.4°C
4 Kaka Point 13.2°C
5 Stewart Island 13.3°C
6 Dunedin 13.4°C
7 Portobello 13.4°C
8 Port Adventure Southland 13.6°C
9 Green Island Otago 13.7°C
10 Easy Harbour Southland 13.8°C
11 Small Craft Retreat Southland 13.8°C
12 Solander Island (Hautere) Southland 13.8°C
13 Port Chalmers Otago 13.8°C
14 Spit Wharf Otago 13.8°C
15 Nugget Point Otago 13.8°C
16 Ruapuke Island Southland 13.9°C
17 Oban Southland 14.0°C
18 Ernest Islands Southland 14.0°C
19 Waikawa Harbour Southland 14.1°C
20 Bluff Southland 14.3°C
21 Dog Island Southland 14.3°C
22 Waipapa Point Southland 14.3°C
23 Chalky Island - Sealers Bay Southland 14.3°C
24 Coal Island - Fishing Bay Southland 14.3°C
25 Jane Coves Southland 14.3°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Welcombe Bay Southland 14.3°C
27 Invercargill 14.4°C
28 New River Entrance Southland 14.4°C
29 Port Craig Southland 14.4°C
30 Yankee River Southland 14.5°C
31 Riverton 14.5°C
32 Waitangi Chatham Islands Territory 14.5°C
33 Kaingaroa Chatham Islands Territory 14.5°C
34 Owenga Chatham Islands Territory 14.6°C
35 Pahia 14.6°C
36 Kawakaputa Bay Southland 14.6°C
37 Riverton/Aparima Southland 14.6°C
38 Oamaru Otago 14.7°C
39 Cape Campbell Marlborough 15.1°C
40 Front Islands Southland 15.2°C
41 Gilbert Islands Southland 15.2°C
42 Many Islands Southland 15.2°C
43 Small Craft Harbour Islands Southland 15.2°C
44 Port Arthur 15.3°C
45 Blanket Bay Southland 15.3°C
46 Deep Cove Southland 15.3°C
47 Charles Sound South Island 15.4°C
48 Doubtful Sound 15.4°C
49 George Sound South Island 15.5°C
50 Lyall Bay 15.5°C

Warmest 10 in New Zealand in December

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

# Location December mean
1 Fishing Rock Sugar Loaf Islands 22.8°C
2 Rocky Point Waikato 20.6°C
3 Coromandel Harbour - Whanganui Island Waikato 20.4°C
4 Thames 20.3°C
5 Devonport Naval Base Auckland 20.2°C
6 Matiatia Bay Auckland 20.2°C
7 Tiritiri Matangi Island Auckland 20.2°C
8 Weiti River Entrance Auckland 20.2°C
9 Auckland 20.1°C
10 Man o'War Bay Auckland 20.1°C

More on this region