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Coldest sea in New Zealand in January

245 coastal locations in New Zealand ranked by typical January sea temperature, coldest first. Region-wide average in January: 18.7°C.

Coldest in January

Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku - Perseverance Harbour

9.6°C January mean in New Zealand

Regional January average

18.7°C

across all 245 coastal locations in New Zealand

Vs annual mean

+2.4°C

above the year-round regional average

What the New Zealand sea feels like in January

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 January fits in the year

January 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 January 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 January

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

# Location January mean
1 Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku - Perseverance Harbour New Zealand Outlying Islands 9.6°C
2 Auckland Island - Carnley Harbour Auckland 10.8°C
3 Snares Islands/Tini Heke - North East Island New Zealand Outlying Islands 13.4°C
4 Stewart Island 13.9°C
5 Kaka Point 14.1°C
6 Dunedin 14.3°C
7 Portobello 14.3°C
8 Port Adventure Southland 14.3°C
9 Easy Harbour Southland 14.4°C
10 Small Craft Retreat Southland 14.4°C
11 Green Island Otago 14.7°C
12 Nugget Point Otago 14.8°C
13 Oban Southland 14.8°C
14 Port Chalmers Otago 14.8°C
15 Spit Wharf Otago 14.8°C
16 Ruapuke Island Southland 14.8°C
17 Ernest Islands Southland 14.8°C
18 Solander Island (Hautere) Southland 14.9°C
19 Waikawa Harbour Southland 15.0°C
20 Invercargill 15.2°C
21 Bluff Southland 15.2°C
22 Dog Island Southland 15.2°C
23 Waipapa Point Southland 15.2°C
24 Chalky Island - Sealers Bay Southland 15.3°C
25 Coal Island - Fishing Bay Southland 15.3°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Jane Coves Southland 15.3°C
27 Welcombe Bay Southland 15.3°C
28 Riverton 15.3°C
29 New River Entrance Southland 15.3°C
30 Waitangi Chatham Islands Territory 15.4°C
31 Pahia 15.4°C
32 Port Craig Southland 15.4°C
33 Yankee River Southland 15.4°C
34 Owenga Chatham Islands Territory 15.5°C
35 Kaingaroa Chatham Islands Territory 15.6°C
36 Oamaru Otago 15.6°C
37 Kawakaputa Bay Southland 15.7°C
38 Riverton/Aparima Southland 15.7°C
39 Cape Campbell Marlborough 16.0°C
40 Front Islands Southland 16.2°C
41 Gilbert Islands Southland 16.2°C
42 Lyall Bay 16.2°C
43 Many Islands Southland 16.2°C
44 Oriental Bay 16.2°C
45 Scorching Bay 16.2°C
46 Small Craft Harbour Islands Southland 16.2°C
47 Wellington 16.2°C
48 Lucky Bay Marlborough 16.2°C
49 Port Underwood Marlborough 16.2°C
50 Picton 16.3°C

Warmest 10 in New Zealand in January

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

# Location January mean
1 Fishing Rock Sugar Loaf Islands 23.7°C
2 Rocky Point Waikato 21.6°C
3 Coromandel Harbour - Whanganui Island Waikato 21.4°C
4 Devonport Naval Base Auckland 21.3°C
5 Matiatia Bay Auckland 21.3°C
6 Tiritiri Matangi Island Auckland 21.3°C
7 Weiti River Entrance Auckland 21.3°C
8 Thames 21.3°C
9 Tinopai Northland 21.3°C
10 Auckland 21.2°C

More on this region