An analysis is performed to study the magnetohydrodynamic flow of an electrically conducting, viscous incompressible fluid past a semi-infinite vertical plate with variable surface temperature under the action of transversely applied magnetic field. The heat due to viscous dissipation and the induced magnetic field are assumed to be negligible. The dimensionless governing equations are unsteady, two-dimensional, coupled and non-linear governing equations. It is found that the magnetic field parameter has a retarding effect on the velocities of air and water.