What Wetsuit to Wear Each Month: Sydney, Gold Coast, Perth, Hawaii, California and Florida

Below is one table per place with the average water temperature for every month and what we'd wear. The shoulder months are the judgement calls, and we flag them as we go.

How do you pick a wetsuit for the month?

Pick for the coldest water you'll be in, not the average. Our standard looks like this:

• 20°C and above (68°F+): boardshorts, or a 1.5mm wetsuit top or springsuit
• 14 to 20°C (57 to 68°F): a 3/2mm steamer
• 11 to 14°C (52 to 57°F): a 4/3mm steamer plus boots
• Below 11°C (52°F): 5/4mm or thicker

These are monthly averages, so any given day can run warmer or colder. Wind, an early start and a long sesh all push you a step warmer than the number suggests. If you run cold, step up. If the average sits within a degree of a band edge, treat that month as a judgement call.

Two things to know about our range. We make the Men's 3/2mm Steamer V3 and the Men's 1.5mm Wetsuit Top V2. We don't make a 4/3mm or anything thicker, so where a month needs one we'll say so rather than push our own gear. For the general thickness rules, see our guides for Australia and the USA. This post is about place and month.

Australian temperatures below are NOAA's OISST v2.1 satellite averages for 1991 to 2020, taken from the grid cell just offshore of each beach, and each table names the cell. US temperatures come from the NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide, and each table names the station. These are long-term averages, checked in October 2026.

What wetsuit do you need in Sydney and at Bondi each month?

At Bondi, as across Sydney, you need a 3/2mm steamer from June to October and a 1.5mm wetsuit top or boardshorts from December to April. May and November are top months that can call for the steamer on a windy morning or at first light. According to NOAA's OISST satellite record, the average sits between 18.1°C in August and 23.3°C in February, so on the averages you never need a 4/3mm here.

Water temperatures: NOAA OISST v2.1 (Huang et al., 2021), 1991 to 2020 monthly averages for the 0.25° grid cell centred on 33.875°S, 151.375°E, about 9 km east of Bondi Beach. Data provided by the NOAA PSL, Boulder, Colorado, USA, from their website at https://psl.noaa.gov.

The lowest Sydney average in the table, 18.1°C, is still inside the 3/2mm band, so one steamer covers the whole cold season. May and November are the months to watch. They sit just over 20°C on average, but an early session with a southerly can feel a lot colder than the number says. If you're in the water at first light, pack the steamer.

For a Sydney winter we'd reach for our 3/2mm steamer, which is made for 14 to 20°C water. In the warm months, our 1.5mm top takes the edge off a cool morning without the full suit.

What wetsuit do you need on the Gold Coast?

On the Gold Coast, boardshorts or a 1.5mm top will do all year. NOAA's OISST satellite averages never drop below 21.0°C, in August, and peak at 26.5°C in February.

Water temperatures: NOAA OISST v2.1 (Huang et al., 2021), 1991 to 2020 monthly averages for the 0.25° grid cell centred on 28.125°S, 153.625°E, the nearest ocean cell to Surfers Paradise, about 23 km to the south-east. Data provided by the NOAA PSL, Boulder, Colorado, USA, from their website at https://psl.noaa.gov.

Even in August, the coldest month, the average is 1.0°C above the point where we'd move you into a steamer. The top earns its place on a windy winter morning or a long arvo, when you've been sitting in the lineup and the breeze picks up. If you're travelling from Sydney or further south in winter, you can probably leave the steamer at home.

What should you wear surfing in Perth each month?

In Perth, a 3/2mm steamer is right from July to November, and a top or boardies covers the other months. NOAA's OISST satellite record puts the average at 22.3°C in February and March and 18.7°C in September.

Water temperatures: NOAA OISST v2.1 (Huang et al., 2021), 1991 to 2020 monthly averages for the 0.25° grid cell centred on 31.875°S, 115.625°E, the nearest ocean cell to Cottesloe, about 18 km offshore to the north-west. Data provided by the NOAA PSL, Boulder, Colorado, USA, from their website at https://psl.noaa.gov.

Perth shows why averages need a second look. The water is still 20.8°C in June, yet September is 2.1°C colder than June and October is 2.0°C colder. Plenty of people forget that spring water can be cooler than early winter, so don't ditch the steamer the first sunny weekend of spring. The same Australian thickness guide covers the reasoning if you want it.

What wetsuit do you need in Honolulu, Oahu?

In Honolulu, you don't need a wetsuit. Boardshorts do the job all year, and a 1.5mm top is the most you'd add. According to the NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide (NOAA station Honolulu, HI), the monthly average ranges from 76.7°F (24.8°C) in February to 81.7°F (27.6°C) in September.

The coldest month, February, is still nearly 5°C above our 20°C line. The only reasons to pack a top are sun, wind and wax rash on your chest. Nothing here needs a steamer.

What wetsuit do you need in San Diego each month?

In San Diego, a 3/2mm steamer is the right call for most of the year. Only August, at 68.4°F (20.2°C), tips into top territory. The NOAA station at La Jolla, CA shows the open-coast average at 58.9°F (14.9°C) in January and February.

Be honest with yourself about January and February. An average of 14.9°C is only 0.9°C above the bottom of the 3/2mm band, so on a cold, windy morning or a long sesh, plenty of surfers will want a 4/3mm and boots. We don't make either, so we'll say it straight: a thicker suit from another maker is the right tool for those winter mornings. From March through to November, our 3/2mm steamer sits right in its range. Our USA thickness guide has more on the US side.

What wetsuit do you need in Los Angeles each month?

In Los Angeles, wear a 3/2mm steamer all year except August. Water at the NOAA Santa Monica, CA station averages 58.4°F (14.7°C) in January and peaks at 68.4°F (20.2°C) in August.

It's almost the same picture as San Diego, with the winter months a touch cooler. January's 14.7°C is only 0.7°C above where a 4/3mm takes over. If you run cold, or you're out at dawn, we'd say a 4/3mm and boots is the better bet for January and February, and that's one we'd send you elsewhere for. The rest of the year a 3/2mm covers it, and July and September are the months where you can decide on the day.

What wetsuit do you need in northeast Florida each month?

In northeast Florida, you need a 3/2mm steamer from December to March, and boardshorts or a top from April to November. The NOAA St. Augustine, FL station swings from 59.1°F (15.1°C) in January to 82.5°F (28.1°C) in September, the biggest range of the six places here.

Florida changes fast. Water that's 77.2°F (25.1°C) in October drops to 69.8°F (21.0°C) by November and 63.3°F (17.4°C) by December. That's a drop of nearly 8°C in two months, so don't trust last month's suit. January and February sit at the very bottom of the 3/2mm band, same as California: on a cold morning, a 4/3mm and boots is the better call, and it isn't something we make. Use our 3/2mm steamer for December to March and our 1.5mm top for the shoulder months of April and November.

Which of these spots have the biggest seasonal swing?

Northeast Florida has the biggest swing, with a gap of 13°C between January and September. Sydney's gap is 5.2°C, from 18.1°C to 23.3°C. Perth is 3.6°C, and San Diego and LA are around 5.3°C and 5.5°C. The Gold Coast covers 5.5°C, and Honolulu has the smallest swing at 2.8°C.

A narrow swing doesn't mean an easy answer, though. Honolulu and the Gold Coast are easy because the whole year sits above 20°C. Sydney, Perth and the two California spots sit close to one of our band edges, which is why the shoulder months need judgement. If you only own one suit for these places, a 3/2mm steamer plus a 1.5mm top covers most of the calendar, apart from the coldest California and Florida mornings. Our ultimate wetsuit guide goes through fit, seams and care, and you can see the full range if you're building a kit.

Frequently asked questions

What wetsuit do you need at Bondi?

At Flatrock Surf, we say a 3/2mm steamer from June to October and a 1.5mm wetsuit top or boardshorts from December to April, with May and November as judgement calls. According to NOAA's OISST satellite record, the Sydney average runs from 18.1°C in August to 23.3°C in February, and Bondi is Sydney water.

What wetsuit do you need in Sydney in winter?

We recommend a 3/2mm steamer for Sydney from June to October. According to NOAA's OISST satellite record, the average falls between 18.1°C and 19.6°C over those months, which sits inside the 14 to 20°C steamer band.

Do you need a wetsuit on the Gold Coast?

Not usually. The Gold Coast average stays at or above 21.0°C all year, so boardshorts or a 1.5mm top are enough. A top helps on a windy winter morning or a long session.

Do you need a wetsuit in Hawaii?

No. NOAA's Honolulu station shows monthly averages from 76.7°F (24.8°C) to 81.7°F (27.6°C), all well above 20°C. Boardshorts work all year, with a top for sun and wind cover.

What wetsuit do you need for California in winter?

A 3/2mm steamer is the minimum. In January, NOAA averages are 58.9°F (14.9°C) at La Jolla and 58.4°F (14.7°C) at Santa Monica, so a 4/3mm with boots suits cold mornings or surfers who run cold.

What wetsuit do you need in Florida in January?

A 3/2mm steamer is the minimum. NOAA's St. Augustine station averages 59.1°F (15.1°C) in January, near the bottom of the 3/2mm band, so a 4/3mm with boots is the safer choice on cold mornings.

Related guides: 3/2 vs 4/3 wetsuit for winter · Wetsuit top or springsuit for summer · What wetsuit for Florida and California