At Flatrock Surf, we match the wetsuit to the water: a 1.5mm wetsuit top or springsuit at 68°F (20°C) and up, a 3/2mm fullsuit from 57 to 68°F (57 to 68°F (14 to 20°C)), and a 4/3mm with booties from 52 to 57°F (52 to 57°F (11 to 14°C)). Going by NOAA's long-term monthly averages, that means a 3/2mm almost all year in San Diego and Los Angeles, plus a 4/3mm for January and February if you run cold. From the Central Coast up to San Francisco, it's a 4/3mm with booties through winter and spring, and a 3/2mm from about July to October. In northeast Florida and the Panhandle, wear a 3/2mm from December to March, then a top or boardshorts. In southeast Florida, the average never drops below 74.5°F (23.6°C), so you don't need a fullsuit at all.
Below is the quick version for eight NOAA stations, then the season-by-season numbers for California and Florida. Months that sit within a degree Celsius (about 2°F) of a band edge are judgment calls, and we flag them as we go.
What wetsuit do you need in Florida and California?
| Place (NOAA station) | Coldest month | Warmest month | What to wear |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego (La Jolla, CA) | Jan and Feb: 58.9°F (14.9°C) | Aug: 68.4°F (20.2°C) | 3/2mm fullsuit most of the year, a top or springsuit in August, a 4/3mm with booties in Jan and Feb if you run cold |
| Los Angeles (Santa Monica, CA) | Jan: 58.4°F (14.7°C) | Aug: 68.4°F (20.2°C) | Same as San Diego |
| Central Coast (Port San Luis, CA) | Apr: 53.8°F (12.1°C) | Sep: 60.2°F (15.7°C) | 4/3mm with booties Dec to Jun, 3/2mm Jul to Nov |
| Monterey (Monterey, CA) | Jan: 54.8°F (12.7°C) | Aug and Sep: 59.6°F (15.3°C) | 4/3mm with booties Nov to Jun, 3/2mm Jul to Oct |
| San Francisco (San Francisco, CA) | Jan: 52.5°F (11.4°C) | Sep: 61.5°F (16.4°C) | 4/3mm with booties Nov to May, 3/2mm Jun to Oct |
| Northeast Florida (St. Augustine, FL) | Jan: 59.1°F (15.1°C) | Sep: 82.5°F (28.1°C) | 3/2mm Dec to Mar, top or springsuit in Apr and Nov, boardshorts May to Oct |
| Florida Panhandle (Panama City Beach, FL) | Jan: 59.5°F (15.3°C) | Aug: 85.6°F (29.8°C) | 3/2mm Dec to Mar, top or springsuit in Apr and Nov, boardshorts May to Oct |
| Southeast Florida (Lake Worth Pier, FL) | Jan: 74.5°F (23.6°C) | Aug: 85.7°F (29.8°C) | Boardshorts, or a 1.5mm top, all year |
How do you pick a wetsuit for the water temperature?
Pick for the coldest water you'll surf, not the average. Here's the standard we rate our own suits against:
- 68°F (20°C) and above: a 1.5mm wetsuit top or springsuit, or boardshorts in the warmest water
- 57 to 68°F (57 to 68°F (14 to 20°C)): a 3/2mm fullsuit
- 52 to 57°F (52 to 57°F (11 to 14°C)): a 4/3mm fullsuit plus booties
- Below 52°F (11°C): a 5/4mm or thicker with a hood, booties and gloves
These are monthly averages, so any given day can run warmer or colder. Wind, an early start and a long session all push you a step warmer than the number says. NOAA also notes that water near the shore can differ from offshore water at the same latitude, because of runoff, currents and upwelling.
What wetsuit do you need in California, by season?
San Diego (NOAA La Jolla, CA station)
- Winter (Dec to Feb): 58.9 to 60.2°F (14.9 to 15.7°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit, or a 4/3mm with booties in January and February if you run cold.
- Spring (Mar to May): 59.6 to 64.0°F (15.3 to 17.8°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit.
- Summer (Jun to Aug): 66.1 to 68.4°F (18.9 to 20.2°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit, with a top or springsuit in August. July is a judgment call.
- Fall (Sep to Nov): 62.9 to 67.5°F (17.2 to 19.7°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit. September is a judgment call.
Los Angeles (NOAA Santa Monica, CA station)
- Winter (Dec to Feb): 58.4 to 59.3°F (14.7 to 15.2°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit at the bottom of its range, or a 4/3mm with booties if you run cold.
- Spring (Mar to May): 59.2 to 62.6°F (15.1 to 17.0°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit.
- Summer (Jun to Aug): 65.8 to 68.4°F (18.8 to 20.2°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit, with a top or springsuit in August. July is a judgment call.
- Fall (Sep to Nov): 62.1 to 67.9°F (16.7 to 19.9°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit. September is a judgment call.
Central Coast (NOAA Port San Luis, CA station)
- Winter (Dec to Feb): 55.7 to 56.2°F (13.2 to 13.4°C). A 4/3mm with booties.
- Spring (Mar to May): 53.8 to 55.1°F (12.1 to 12.8°C). A 4/3mm with booties. April is the coldest month of the year here, not January.
- Summer (Jun to Aug): 56.7 to 59.8°F (13.7 to 15.4°C). A 4/3mm in June, then a 3/2mm for July and August.
- Fall (Sep to Nov): 57.7 to 60.2°F (14.3 to 15.7°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit. November is a judgment call.
Monterey (NOAA Monterey, CA station)
- Winter (Dec to Feb): 54.8 to 55.3°F (12.7 to 12.9°C). A 4/3mm with booties.
- Spring (Mar to May): 55.3 to 55.9°F (12.9 to 13.3°C). A 4/3mm with booties.
- Summer (Jun to Aug): 56.8 to 59.6°F (13.8 to 15.3°C). A 4/3mm in June, then a 3/2mm for July and August. July is a judgment call.
- Fall (Sep to Nov): 56.6 to 59.6°F (13.7 to 15.3°C). A 3/2mm in September and October, back to a 4/3mm in November.
San Francisco (NOAA San Francisco, CA station)
- Winter (Dec to Feb): 52.5 to 53.7°F (11.4 to 12.1°C). A 4/3mm with booties. January sits within a degree of the 5/4mm line, so go warmer if you run cold.
- Spring (Mar to May): 54.1 to 55.7°F (12.3 to 13.2°C). A 4/3mm with booties.
- Summer (Jun to Aug): 57.3 to 61.2°F (14.1 to 16.2°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit. June is a judgment call.
- Fall (Sep to Nov): 57.0 to 61.5°F (13.9 to 16.4°C). A 3/2mm in September and October, a 4/3mm with booties from November.
San Diego and Los Angeles are 3/2mm water for most of the year. At the three stations further north, winter and spring are 4/3mm months, and even the warmest monthly averages stay in the lower half of the 3/2mm band, under 62°F (17°C).
What wetsuit do you need in Florida, by season?
Northeast Florida (NOAA St. Augustine, FL station)
- Winter (Dec to Feb): 59.1 to 63.3°F (15.1 to 17.4°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit, or a 4/3mm with booties in January if you run cold.
- Spring (Mar to May): 63.6 to 75.7°F (17.6 to 24.3°C). A 3/2mm in March, a top or springsuit in April, boardshorts by May.
- Summer (Jun to Aug): 79.6 to 81.7°F (26.4 to 27.6°C). Boardshorts.
- Fall (Sep to Nov): 69.8 to 82.5°F (21.0 to 28.1°C). Boardshorts in September and October, a top or springsuit in November.
Florida Panhandle (NOAA Panama City Beach, FL station)
- Winter (Dec to Feb): 59.5 to 63.2°F (15.3 to 17.3°C). A 3/2mm fullsuit.
- Spring (Mar to May): 64.8 to 77.1°F (18.2 to 25.1°C). A 3/2mm in March, a top or springsuit in April, boardshorts by May.
- Summer (Jun to Aug): 82.0 to 85.6°F (27.8 to 29.8°C). Boardshorts.
- Fall (Sep to Nov): 70.1 to 83.8°F (21.2 to 28.8°C). Boardshorts in September and October, a top or springsuit in November.
Southeast Florida (NOAA Lake Worth Pier, FL station)
- Winter (Dec to Feb): 74.5 to 76.7°F (23.6 to 24.8°C). Boardshorts, or a 1.5mm top on a windy morning.
- Spring (Mar to May): 75.6 to 80.3°F (24.2 to 26.8°C). Boardshorts.
- Summer (Jun to Aug): 82.7 to 85.7°F (28.2 to 29.8°C). Boardshorts.
- Fall (Sep to Nov): 79.1 to 85.1°F (26.2 to 29.5°C). Boardshorts.
Florida changes fast. At St. Augustine, the average drops from 77.2°F (25.1°C) in October to 63.3°F (17.4°C) in December, so don't trust last month's suit. For a month-by-month table for San Diego, Los Angeles and St. Augustine, see our month-by-month wetsuit guide.
Which Flatrock Surf wetsuit fits Florida and California?
For 57 to 68°F (57 to 68°F (14 to 20°C)) water, the Men's 3/2mm Fullsuit V3 is our 3/2mm fullsuit, with a 3mm core and 2mm arms and legs. That covers most of the year in San Diego and Los Angeles, and the winter months in north Florida. For 68°F (20°C) and up, the Men's 1.5mm Wetsuit Top V2 goes over boardshorts on the days a fullsuit is too much and a rash guard isn't enough.
We don't make a 4/3mm or anything thicker, and we don't make a springsuit. If you surf the Central Coast, Monterey or San Francisco in winter and spring, you'll need a 4/3mm with booties from another maker, and we'd rather tell you that than sell you the wrong suit.
Frequently asked questions
What wetsuit do you need in Southern California in winter?
A 3/2mm fullsuit at minimum. NOAA's long-term averages for January are 58.9°F (14.9°C) at La Jolla and 58.4°F (14.7°C) at Santa Monica, at the bottom of Flatrock Surf's 57 to 68°F band, so a 4/3mm with booties suits cold mornings or surfers who run cold.
What wetsuit do you need in Northern California?
A 4/3mm with booties for winter and spring. NOAA's San Francisco station averages 52.5 to 55.7°F (11.4 to 13.2°C) from December to May, which is 4/3mm water on Flatrock Surf's chart. From June to October, the average of 57.3 to 61.5°F (14.1 to 16.4°C) is 3/2mm water.
Do you need a wetsuit in Florida?
In north Florida, yes, in winter. NOAA's St. Augustine station averages 59.1 to 63.6°F (15.1 to 17.6°C) from December to March, which is 3/2mm water. In southeast Florida, NOAA's Lake Worth Pier station never averages below 74.5°F (23.6°C), so boardshorts or a 1.5mm top will do all year.
What wetsuit should I wear in 60 degree water?
A 3/2mm fullsuit. On Flatrock Surf's chart, 60°F (15.6°C) sits in the 57 to 68°F (57 to 68°F (14 to 20°C)) band. If you run cold or you're out at dawn, a 4/3mm with booties is a fair step up.
Sources: water temperatures are long-term monthly averages from the NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide, All Coastal Regions table (stations La Jolla, CA; Santa Monica, CA; Port San Luis, CA; Monterey, CA; San Francisco, CA; St. Augustine, FL; Panama City Beach, FL; 8722670 Lake Worth Pier, FL), checked October 2026. NOAA decommissioned the guide on May 5, 2025 and says its data are still available. °C figures are converted from NOAA's °F. Thickness bands and suit specs from our FAQ and product pages.
