- Temperature
- Feels like
- Rain
- Wind
- Sea water
- Waves
- Updated
Sea water: 23.7°C, practically unchanged all week
Waves: 1.2m
At 23.7 °C the water in Praia da Vitória is genuinely warm. Comfortable for long swims.
Sunrise: 07:13 · Sunset: 20:24 · Day length: 13h 11m
| Day | Sea water | Waves |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 28/08 | 23.7 °C | 1.2 m |
| Saturday 29/08 | 23.6 °C | 0.9 m |
| Sunday 30/08 | 23.8 °C | 0.8 m |
| Monday 31/08 | 23.7 °C | 1.1 m |
| Tuesday 01/09 | 24.1 °C | 1.1 m |
| Wednesday 02/09 | 23.9 °C | 0.9 m |
| Thursday 03/09 | 23.9 °C | 0.8 m |
| Month | Average water |
|---|---|
| January | 16.8 °C |
| February | 16.5 °C |
| March | 16.2 °C |
| April | 16.4 °C |
| May | 17.8 °C |
| June | 19.9 °C |
| July | 22.3 °C |
| August | 24.4 °C |
| September | 23.3 °C |
| October | 21.8 °C |
| November | 19.4 °C |
| December | 17.6 °C |
Monthly averages for 2022–2025.
This page shows the water temperature at Praia da Vitória today and over the next seven days, so you can pick the best beach day before you go.
Sea temperature moves much more slowly than air temperature. A hot afternoon does not warm the ocean, and a windy day can cool it fast. Checking the water itself is the only reliable way to know what to expect.
Praia da Vitória is on the eastern side of Terceira and has one of the few large sandy beaches in the Azores, where most shores are black volcanic rock. The bay is shielded by the marina breakwater, so the water inside stays calm even when there is swell running outside. Mid-Atlantic ocean surrounds the island and moderates everything, giving about 24 °C at the end of summer and a slow, gentle cooling through the winter.
The water is warmest in August, averaging 24.4 °C, and coldest in March at 16.2 °C. The Gulf Stream keeps the Azores mild for the latitude, without the upwelling shocks of the mainland.
The ocean gains and loses heat far more slowly than land, so it runs months behind the seasons. On top of that, the summer northerly wind pushes surface water offshore and draws cold deep water up in its place, which is why a heatwave on land so often coincides with a colder sea.
The sheltered bay gives one of the few long sandy swims in the Azores, calm enough for children and protected by the marina breakwater. Diving and snorkelling reveal the volcanic rock and clear water the islands are known for, and whale and dolphin boats run out of Terceira through the season. Sailing and kayaking work well inside the bay when the swell is up outside.