The most recent NOAA map of coastal water temperatures alongside the southern Washington coast reveals temperatures above 61F (16C)…see beneath. Cooler water is discovered alongside the Oregon and California coasts. A lot hotter water is discovered offshore. At Ocean Shores or Lengthy Seashore, you would nearly go into the water with out a wetsuit.
How do these temperatures evaluate to regular? Under are the anomalies (variations) from climatology (or regular situations) of the ocean floor temperatures. Hotter than regular by 2-3C alongside the coast and the heat extends offshore. Cooler than regular alongside the California coast.
Earlier than I clarify why, I needed to say that late August is the time of sometimes warmest temperatures alongside our coast. For instance, here’s a plot of climatological sea floor temperatures at Ocean Shores, WA from the superb web site, Weatherspark. The standard highest ocean temperature is on August twenty eighth at 58F, in comparison with the decrease 60s right this moment.
So why are water temperatures hotter than regular this 12 months? A key situation is that the upwelling of chilly water from beneath the floor is weaker.
And why is it weaker? As a result of the conventional excessive strain offshore has been weaker than regular in the course of the previous months.
Excessive strain offshore ends in northerly winds (winds from the north) alongside our coastal zone. These winds blow on the ocean floor, and due to the rotation of the planet, this ends in water currents being directed offshore. To make up for the misplaced water, cool water comes up from beneath.
Excessive strain offshore….referred to as the East Pacific Excessive– is related to northerly winds alongside the coast (see schematic).
Throughout the previous month, an uncommon space of low strain was positioned off the Oregon coast, one thing proven by the distinction in strain from regular for the previous 30 days discovered beneath. This resulted in weakened northerly winds, much less upwelling of cooling water from beneath, and hotter than regular coastal temperatures.
Sea stage strain distinction from regular in the course of the previous month
