Ocean Temp Discussion from NWS

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nous41 kphi 011816
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public information statement - ocean temperatures
national weather service mount holly nj
215 pm edt wed oct 1 2003

....flirted with record-breaking cold ocean temperatures...but
september warmed up considerably...

the summer of 2003 will be remembered as one of the coldest years for
ocean temperatures along our shores...and even for other parts of the
east coast.

the ocean temperature measured off atlantic city new jersey in june
this year was 61.6(-1.4 deg f below normal)...in july 63.2(-6.3)and
august 66.7(-5.. the average for the three months was 63.8 and
colder by just four-tenths of a degree than 1994 which is the second
coldest year since records began in 1911. september however warmed
up considerably and averaged 71.2(+1.1). averaged in with the other
three months the recreational summer season temperature was 65.7
degrees which makes this year the seventh coldest on record. the
september average of 1994 was 67.4 degrees. the coldest year since
records began is 1988 with a seasonal average of 63.6 degrees. there
were readings as cold as 49 degrees in some areas.

the normal temperature for the four months is 68.6 degrees. the
temperature difference between the coldest and 10th coldest years is
2.8 degrees. the difference between the coldest year...1988(63.6
deg) and the warmest 1952(71.7 deg) is 8.1 degrees.

the direction of the wind was the primary reason the temperatures
remained so cold for most of the summer. the persistent south to
southwest wind set in motion the process known as upwelling and
pealed away the upper layers of warm waters and transported it
farther offshore. colder water from below replaced the warmer waters
at the surface or surf zone.

the temperatures computed above were for absecon island off atlantic
city. the temperatures were affected by the direction from which the
wind was blowing and the orientation of a particular stretch of
coastline. as a result...other sections of the new jersey and
delaware coasts recorded temperatures either higher or lower than
atlantic city/s.

the warmest and coldest days on average in june were 70.5 degrees on
the 24th and 53.5 on the 2nd respectively. in july 72.0 on the 15th
and 58.5 on the 28th. in august 76.5 on the 20th and just three days
later 62.0 on the 23rd. and in september 73.5 on the 4th/7th and 8th
and 68.0 on the 10th.

the colder ocean temperatures contributed to extended periods of
coastal fog and above normal days of very humid conditions. and
mariners had to extend their fishing day in search of the bigger
gamefish in these parts that prefer warmer waters.

interesting to note is the relationship between the top ten coldest
years and tropical cyclone formation in the atlantic basin. however
there is a great deal of variation from year to year. on the other
hand...a warmer ocean relates well to an active season. keep in mind
however...that we are sampling just a small oceanographic part of
the atlantic waters.

top 10 coldest (deg f) - number of tropical cyclones
starting with coldest (average of 8.1/year)

1. 1988(63.6) 12
2. 1994(64. 7
3. 1958(65.2) 10
4. 1965(65.3) 6
5. 1966(65.3) tie 11
6. 1967(65.4) 8
7. 2003(65.7) 11 (?)
8. 1928(65. 6
9. 1943(65.9) 10
10. 1920(66.4) 4


top 10 warmest
starting with warmest (average of 12.1/year)

1. 1952(71.7) 7
2. 1951(71.4) 10
3. 1969(71.0) 15
4. 1953(70.9) tie 14
5. 1945(70.9) 11
6. 1995(70. 19
7. 1991(70. tie 8
8. 1949(70.3) 13
9. 1990(70.1) 14
10. 1942(70.1) tie 10



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