Where to Look for Ocean Temperature and Conditions?

[SubNeo]

I know how to get basic tidal charts (found stations in West Palm that calculate it), but I've not found a reliable way to determine things such as "water temperature." Where do you recommend looking for this kind of info?

I ask because I discovered that my body goes into a shiver fit in 68 degree water (in 4mm, I'm a Florida native for sure) and I need to make sure I never "underestimate" the conditions X'D

 

[scubadada]

Hi @SubNeo

Water temp is hard to find NDBC - Station LKWF1 Recent Data I find that around the middle of the recent range is often close, but not always

I would love to hear about other sources

 

[Divin'Papaw]

For ‘accurate’ temps, I honestly just watch posts on Facebook from charters, instructors, & shops in the area of interest. They all like to post dive reports for marketing purposes & temps are a frequently shared datapoint. I realize that is of no help to Non-FB folks. Sorry, no solution to that other than drinking the kool-aid.

Sometimes I’ll check for buoy data for the area, but I find recent dive reports more accurate.

 

[scubadada]

Sometimes the water temps in Florida can be tricky. See my report from June, when we had a water temp of 60 degrees in Jupiter Trip Report - Back in SE FL 2021 part 4 It was difficult to dress correctly that week

I often take 2, occasionally 3 wetsuits in my trunk and don't decide which to use until I arrive at the boat. I will ask the shop/crew. what the most recent conditions have been. I always have my 5/3 hooded vest with me and have gloves, that I do not always use. The older I have gotten, the less tolerant of cold I have become. I often dress heavier than others, and am frequently the only warm diver. In addition, get yourself a good boat coat.

 

[tursiops]

I know how to get basic tidal charts (found stations in West Palm that calculate it), but I've not found a reliable way to determine things such as "water temperature." Where do you recommend looking for this kind of info?

I ask because I discovered that my body goes into a shiver fit in 68 degree water (in 4mm, I'm a Florida native for sure) and I need to make sure I never "underestimate" the conditions X'D

I can't tell if you are asking about just West Palm, or the more general question of any location.

Ocean temperature is actually not that easy to measure! There are two main problems:
(1) What do you mean by water temperature? The top few milimeters, the top meter? The top 30m? Given heating from the sun, waer type, and mixing conditions, those three ersions of "water temperature" can be different by many degrees.
(2) What is your measuring instrument? Your personal dive computer (PDC)? A satellite? A moored or drifting buoy?

Regarding (1), most of us want to know (a) the conditions in the top few meters, and (b) whether there is a strong thermocline below which it might be cold. Turns out (b) is hard to get at , so normally you have to rely on the general site and wind conditions to decide if there is a strong thermocline or not.

Regarding (2), most of use our PDC, or rely on reports from someone else's PDC. But PDCs have terrible temperature sensors, for two reasons: (a) they are poorly calibrated, and/or (b) they have a very long time-constant to come into equilibrium with the ambient temperature. Regarding calibration, if you look at the spec sheet for your PDC, you might find no statement on accuracy, or find that it is +/- 2 deg C, about +/- 4 deg F. I have three PDC; one is spot on, one reads 2 deg F high, one reads 4 deg F low. (This was determining by putting them in a calibrated water bath for 30 minutes.) Regarding time constant: it take a while for the sensor in the OPDC to get to ambient temperature, because the whole PDC has to come into equilibrium. For a small wristwatch PDC, this might only be a minutes or two; it can be 15 minute for a "brick" on your wrist.
Suggestion: use the results of several PDCs and compare them; if they agree or are close to each other, that's probably the temperature!

Two websites offer global maps/tables of sea surface temperature.

Sea water temperature. Surface temperatures on the coasts

We offer information on climate conditions around the globe, with detailed current and historical data of sea water temperatures, surf forecasts

seatemperature.info

World Water Temperature & | Sea Temperatures

World Water Temperature & from Global Sea Temperatures

www.seatemperature.org

Both include historical information and some statistics.
The first does not say exactly how they get their data, but does include some other weather conditions info.
The second uses satellite data as provided by NOAA.
Using BOTH these sites gives you some confidence.

Example. for West Palm Beach today:
The NOAA data (linked above by ScubaDada) gives 75.2 deg F. This is measured at 1.6m below mean-lowest-low-water. It is on a pier, not on a floating buoy.
seatemperature.info gives 77.7
seatemperature.org gives 77.9

 

[Jhathaway]

I use magic seaweed, it normally has a fairly accurate estimate of surface temp, and once you know a site pretty well that paired with the past and current swell info can give you a pretty good idea of what you're going to be diving in.

 

[SubNeo]

I use magic seaweed, it normally has a fairly accurate estimate of surface temp, and once you know a site pretty well that paired with the past and current swell info can give you a pretty good idea of what you're going to be diving in.
View attachment 699539

Ok this is really clean and nifty. If it checks out, I'd say this could be a good resource.

 

[tursiops]

Ok this is really clean and nifty. If it checks out, I'd say this could be a good resource.

I'm not impressed with the coverage...unless perhaps you pay for a PRO subscription. Try and find info for West Palm Beach, for example.

 

[Jhathaway]

I'm not impressed with the coverage...unless perhaps you pay for a PRO subscription. Try and find info for West Palm Beach, for example.

I wasn't aware that the pro subscription gave you anything more than an extended forecast. Also pretty good coverage worldwide, but I can see the lack of appeal for anything other than shore diving.

 

[tursiops]

I wasn't aware that the pro subscription gave you anything more than an extended forecast. Also pretty good coverage worldwide, but I can see the lack of appeal for anything other than shore diving.View attachment 699569

Hmm, I couldn't locate that page when I tried before. I'm still not finding any wter temp info for West Palm, for my previous example.
Clearly, though, Magic Seaweed is oriented toward surf and winds/waves.....like Wind Guru. it is not primarily a SST site.