Thread: Does water temp seem surprisingly low?

Any thoughts on the water temps? I'm kind of surprised it isn't higher given this crazy heat wave.

I’m surprised,too, but according to NOAA the average for August in Pensacola (the closest data to GS and OB I could find) is 86. So, it’s a couple degrees higher than average. 76-78 would be nice. Maybe the fish would turn on.

Indeed there have been some anomalies with the Gulf water temp this summer.
I suspect the aberrant westerly flow we have experienced due to the strong El Nino influence over the weather pattern so far has affected the near shore current flow.
There has been evidence of upwelling at 42012 several times this summer, as what occured this week when the water temp dipped below 80° for a time ...


The ARCOS sensor at Perdido Pass has revealed this persistent pattern for well over a month.
The lowest water temperature of the day is near the peak of the incoming tide (with saltiest water), and the highest temp at low tide (with freshest water)...
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Very interesting! A few weeks back you asked if I noticed the water temp when I was out. I mentioned that I thought it was hot, but this was based on what I thought, not what I knew. A couple days later, we went swimming in the Gulf, and I was surprised how cool the water was (almost cold!) Anyway, I remember years ago when we regularly chartered the Cold Mil, if the 42012 buoy hit 89+ degrees, the king bite was would shut off nearshore. So with all this heat, I am just surprised the Gulf isn't around 90. I know they have hit record temps in other parts of the Gulf, so I assume it is localized and your explanation makes sense. On another topic, the water level in the lagoon seems extra low this summer. I assume this is due to all the high atmospheric pressure we have experienced? We have had some unusual weather this summer for sure! My yard is begging for rain!

Yeah, I noted recently that water was not rolling over the weir from Lake Shelby into the Lagoon.
Soon after that Mr Hatfield mentioned an algae bloom in Little Lagoon.
The persistent high pressure that has made it abnormally HOT also keeps the rain away making South Baldwin abnormally DRY!
To the point of less than 25% of normal rainfall along coastal Baldwin County for the past 30 days...