When does PCB / gulf start warming up?

[JKSteger]

I know I'm a little early but I was wandering when to expect PCB to warm up to say around 70F? I would like to hit it early this spring but I don't want to show up and think to myself that I wished I had brought down my drysuit!!

Also what do your logs report the temp as being say in:

Beginning of March:
Beginning of April:
Beginning of May:

Thanks in advance!

Jeremy

 

[mike_s]

I would say that it doesn't hit and say in the 70's until May.

I've been down there in May a few years ago and it was still in the mid 60's. but other years it might have just crept into the 70f's.


Bugman, SeaYoda, Glen, etc might have better answers than me as they live there and dive it more often.


In March/April, I don't think it's just getting into the 70s some, if that... even if the water is warm, the wind on a boat might be a little chilly when wet between dives.




according to this: 2007 readings for PCB at Noaa
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/view_text_file.php?filename=pcbf1h2007.txt.gz&dir=data/historical/stdmet/

from http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=PCBF1


on Apr 15th , PCB was 20.6, or 68f (but ranged a lot that day up to 22c)
on May 15th, PCB was 22.9c or 72.42f

 

[Sooners]

Im doing a dive next week off the beach and I'll get back to ya with the temp!

 

[PatMyGreen]

Mike pretty much nailed it. As the water warms up though we develop a thermocline and there will be a cold layer near the bottom that is still cold as all get out. Normally its a 5-7* drop in temp. A few years ago it went from 80*F on the surface in June to 65*F at 40', which was the most extreme thermocline I've hit, made more so because it was 90*F in the air and you bake inside a wetsuit before you splash in and promptly go into shock from the cold. The thermocline sticks around until Julyish, slowly getting less extreme until its just gone. Of course it makes the ascent and safety stop extremely pleasant after getting a nice chill. The water temp near the beach (and surface offshore) hits 72*F in April usually and that is the magic number for the cobia to come thru. Right now its 53*F inshore on the stuff like the Bart and warmer the further out you go. We had 64*F on the bottom 46 miles out two days ago, but thats closer to the stream.

 

[Sooners]

Today i had 57 on my comp, mind you that was a beach dive. Pffft with the drysuits. All you need is a 5mm Come on down! haha

 

[jhayes75]

Looking at my dive log, I logged a dive on April 24th and had a min temp of 68 at the Destin Jetties. I would say closer to may too before getting to 70ish

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Its been a cold winter, might be later rather than sooner this year *shrugs*

It really depends on the weather.

 

[JKSteger]

Today i had 57 on my comp, mind you that was a beach dive. Pffft with the drysuits. All you need is a 5mm Come on down! haha

What are the conditions like this time of year? The earliest I've ever dove PCB was the beginning of May.

 

[algulfdiver]

Here are a few from my log book but like others have said it depends on the air temp, and we have had a lot of coooold days this year,
March 18 at Alabama Point-68*
May 15 Oriskany -69*

 

[wjefferis]

What are the conditions like this time of year? The earliest I've ever dove PCB was the beginning of May.

My computer showed 57* at the Destin Jetties on Jan 20th. It was fine in my semi-dry .