How Cold are CA Waters?

[spectrum]

Just how cold are the waters in CA? I ask in this forum since many needs for warm suits seem to come from there. I'm in Maine and to folks up here CA seems like the land of warm sunshine.

Are there Pacific Currents that keep the ocean chilly?

Our surface temp (at .6M) just dipped below 50F today for the first time this fall.

Pete

 

[Night Diver]

In So Cal, figure on surface temps of about 66-68 in summer and mid-50's in winter; at moderate depths (60-80 feet) temps seem more consistently in the mid to low 50's year round although there's quite a swing and we have lots of thermoclines! It's not unusual to see significantly colder temps in the Channel Islands than on the coast and Malibu always seems colder than the rest of LA.

Surface temps in between seasons are, well . . . in-between.

 

[RonDawg]

Temps are going to vary greatly depending on where you dive in CA. Generally speaking, NorCal will be colder than SoCal.

You'll find that SoCal divers generally use wetsuits, albeit rather thick (7mm) ones. Go up to Monterey, and you'll see a lot more drysuits. When I dove Monterey in mid-August, temps were a rather chilly (for a wetsuit diver) 50 degrees, despite it being a bright beautiful sunny day with air temps nearing 80.

It's been about six weeks since my last dive but according to my dive log, water temps at Catalina Island/Long Point were a balmy 71 degrees at that time. It was like diving in a gigantic swimming pool, except this one was full of kelp and aquatic life.

Things have cooled off since then, but from what I've seen posted in the California Kelp Divers forum, not by much. You might want to visit there, specifically the SoCal sub-forum, where there is a sticky called "October 04 Dive Reports" and check out the conditions.

 

[drbill]

In the waters off Catalina (a bit warmer than most), surface temperatures can reach into the 70's (75 this year) during summer and early fall. Minimum temperatures last Sunday were 64-65 degrees at max depths of 100, 60, 40, 30 ft on my dives. This weekend the thermocline moved up to about 65 ft so it was colder below that.

Dr. Bill

 

[SwimsWithSharks]

In March, I had temperatures of 53-55 in San Diego.

In late May, I had temperatures of 47-51 in Monterey.

I hear temperatures in Monterey have been a bit warmer of late.

 

[scubahorse]

Yesterday, I had temperatures of 63-65 (suunto)in the water of Catalina.

 

[fdog]

58 degrees F in Monterey Bay yesterday.

The California longshore current flows north to south...tells you something about where it comes from.

All the best, James

 

[Lynn CA]

Temps in Monterey are warmest in Oct-Dec - in the mid 50's. It was 56 on 10/31/04 at 50', last April it was 45 in Montery bay at 50', and I got frostbite on my feet, it took over an hour of bathing them in warm water before they stopped being white and numb. The current comes down from Alaska.

 

[NURSESHARK100]

Hello Pete

Lastnight san diego water temp 66 degrees and at 85 feet depth 63 degrees. Many people wear dry suites. But many others still wear wet suites throughout the year... Maine is a beautiful state where do you dive there? Have a great day!!!! Jessica

 

[laazur]

In So Cal, surface temps goes up to 70 at the end of the summer. The warmer season is the end of the summer, september, october. It was about 64 last week end ( november) and goes down to mid-50's in march.
At depths temps are consistently in the mid to low 50's year round once you pass the thermoclines.
A wetsuit is comfortable for shallow diving and for short dives. But a drysuit is necessary for repetitives or longer dive.

bernard