canIswim

What wetsuit do you need in United States?

The one suit that covers most of the swimming season, for 64 coastal cities in United States.

City Coldest Warmest One suit for the season
New York City 3.9°C Feb 23.5°C Aug nothing
San Diego 15.1°C Feb 21.1°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
San Francisco 11.8°C Mar 15.5°C Sep 4/3 mm full suit
Boston 3.8°C Feb 19.3°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Long Beach 15.1°C Feb 21.0°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Virginia Beach 5.5°C Feb 25.9°C Jul nothing
New Orleans 12.4°C Jan 30.7°C Aug nothing
Anchorage -1.1°C Feb 14.7°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Oxnard 14.3°C Mar 20.2°C Sep nothing, or a rash vest
Oceanside 15.2°C Feb 21.9°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Cape Coral 19.3°C Jan 30.9°C Aug nothing
Bridgeport 2.2°C Feb 24.2°C Aug nothing
Hampton 4.8°C Feb 27.0°C Jul nothing
Charleston 12.2°C Feb 29.0°C Aug nothing
New Haven 2.3°C Feb 23.9°C Aug nothing
Wilmington 10.3°C Feb 28.2°C Aug nothing
Inglewood 14.8°C Feb 20.6°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
New Bedford 2.3°C Feb 22.4°C Aug nothing
Fall River 2.3°C Feb 22.4°C Aug nothing
Santa Barbara 13.9°C Mar 19.3°C Sep nothing, or a rash vest
Norwalk 2.3°C Feb 24.1°C Aug nothing
Melbourne 20.5°C Feb 28.9°C Sep nothing
Largo 16.9°C Jan 30.9°C Aug nothing
Daytona Beach 17.5°C Feb 28.8°C Aug nothing
Portland 4.1°C Feb 18.7°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Palo Alto 12.1°C Mar 15.7°C Sep 4/3 mm full suit
Santa Cruz 12.3°C May 15.6°C Sep 3/2 mm full suit
Fountain Valley 15.0°C Feb 21.0°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Bradenton 17.8°C Jan 31.0°C Aug nothing
Pensacola 16.9°C Feb 30.4°C Aug nothing
Barnstable 2.3°C Feb 22.2°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Salem 3.7°C Feb 19.2°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Annapolis 3.2°C Feb 27.8°C Jul nothing
Hilton Head Island 12.3°C Feb 29.4°C Aug nothing
Atlantic City 4.1°C Feb 24.0°C Jul nothing
Panama City 16.1°C Jan 30.3°C Aug nothing
Dana Point 15.2°C Feb 21.6°C Sep nothing, or a rash vest
Foster City 12.1°C Mar 15.7°C Sep 4/3 mm full suit
Oceanside 3.9°C Feb 23.5°C Jul nothing
Laplace 12.4°C Jan 30.8°C Aug nothing
Monterey 12.2°C Apr 15.4°C Sep 3/2 mm full suit
Bay Shore 4.1°C Feb 23.4°C Jul nothing
Tarpon Springs 16.3°C Jan 30.9°C Aug nothing
Newport 4.2°C Feb 21.1°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Fort Walton Beach 17.2°C Feb 30.3°C Aug nothing
Portsmouth 4.3°C Feb 18.9°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Naples 19.6°C Jan 30.9°C Aug nothing
Arcata 10.4°C Mar 13.4°C Sep 4/3 mm full suit
Mill Valley 11.9°C Mar 15.5°C Sep 4/3 mm full suit
Carpinteria 13.9°C Mar 19.3°C Sep nothing, or a rash vest
Jericho 3.9°C Feb 23.5°C Jul nothing
Atlantic Beach 14.2°C Feb 28.9°C Aug nothing
Ferndale 7.6°C Feb 15.7°C Aug 5/4 mm full suit
Saint Augustine 16.3°C Feb 28.9°C Aug nothing
Half Moon Bay 12.1°C Mar 15.7°C Sep 4/3 mm full suit
Sitka 5.5°C Mar 13.8°C Aug 5/4 mm full suit
Pismo Beach 12.0°C Apr 15.6°C Sep 3/2 mm full suit
Kenai 0.5°C Feb 13.6°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Fort Bragg 10.7°C May 14.1°C Sep 4/3 mm full suit
Ocean City 4.6°C Feb 24.2°C Jul nothing
Kodiak 4.1°C Mar 11.7°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Nome -1.6°C Mar 11.1°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Lewes 3.0°C Feb 24.5°C Jul nothing
Dillingham -1.5°C Jan 14.9°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone

Thicknesses above are for swimming. Surfing the same water wants a step more — most of a session is spent sitting still in the wind rather than moving and immersed. Each city page gives both, along with when you need boots, gloves and a hood.

Sea temperature and swimming season in United States →

Boots below 14°C, gloves below 12°C, a hood below 10°C. Where the numbers come from