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Coldest sea in New Zealand in March

245 coastal locations in New Zealand ranked by typical March sea temperature, coldest first. Region-wide average in March: 18.8°C.

Coldest in March

Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku - Perseverance Harbour

9.6°C March mean in New Zealand

Regional March average

18.8°C

across all 245 coastal locations in New Zealand

Vs annual mean

+2.5°C

above the year-round regional average

What the New Zealand sea feels like in March

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 March fits in the year

March 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 March 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 March

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

# Location March mean
1 Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku - Perseverance Harbour New Zealand Outlying Islands 9.6°C
2 Auckland Island - Carnley Harbour Auckland 10.9°C
3 Snares Islands/Tini Heke - North East Island New Zealand Outlying Islands 13.8°C
4 Kaka Point 14.0°C
5 Stewart Island 14.0°C
6 Dunedin 14.2°C
7 Portobello 14.2°C
8 Port Adventure Southland 14.5°C
9 Green Island Otago 14.6°C
10 Nugget Point Otago 14.7°C
11 Port Chalmers Otago 14.7°C
12 Spit Wharf Otago 14.7°C
13 Ruapuke Island Southland 14.8°C
14 Easy Harbour Southland 14.8°C
15 Small Craft Retreat Southland 14.8°C
16 Oban Southland 14.9°C
17 Waikawa Harbour Southland 14.9°C
18 Waipapa Point Southland 15.1°C
19 Invercargill 15.1°C
20 Bluff Southland 15.2°C
21 Dog Island Southland 15.2°C
22 Ernest Islands Southland 15.2°C
23 Riverton 15.3°C
24 New River Entrance Southland 15.4°C
25 Oamaru Otago 15.4°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Pahia 15.5°C
27 Solander Island (Hautere) Southland 15.6°C
28 Yankee River Southland 15.6°C
29 Riverton/Aparima Southland 15.7°C
30 Kawakaputa Bay Southland 15.8°C
31 Port Craig Southland 15.8°C
32 Waitangi Chatham Islands Territory 15.8°C
33 Cape Campbell Marlborough 15.8°C
34 Owenga Chatham Islands Territory 15.8°C
35 Kaingaroa Chatham Islands Territory 15.9°C
36 Port Underwood Marlborough 16.0°C
37 Lucky Bay Marlborough 16.1°C
38 Lyall Bay 16.1°C
39 Oriental Bay 16.1°C
40 Scorching Bay 16.1°C
41 Wellington 16.1°C
42 Cape Terawhiti - Oteranga Bay Wellington 16.1°C
43 Chalky Island - Sealers Bay Southland 16.1°C
44 Coal Island - Fishing Bay Southland 16.1°C
45 Jane Coves Southland 16.1°C
46 Welcombe Bay Southland 16.1°C
47 Picton 16.2°C
48 Kaikoura 16.2°C
49 French Bay Canterbury 16.4°C
50 Tikao Bay Canterbury 16.4°C

Warmest 10 in New Zealand in March

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

# Location March mean
1 Fishing Rock Sugar Loaf Islands 24.1°C
2 Bay of Islands 21.6°C
3 Coopers Beach 21.6°C
4 Kerikeri 21.6°C
5 Paihia 21.5°C
6 Russell 21.5°C
7 Waitangi (Northland) 21.5°C
8 Waitangi 21.5°C
9 Matapouri 21.4°C
10 Ngunguru 21.4°C

More on this region