Why are California beaches colder than Atlantic beaches?

The movement of Alaskan and northern ocean currents southward down the west coast results in much cooler ocean temperatures than at comparable latitudes on the east coast of the United States, where ocean currents come from the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic.



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There are two general reasons as to why the water temps are much colder on the West Coast compared to the East Coast. The first reason is because of the California cold current that runs along the coast from Canada to Central America. The second reason is upwelling.

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It's a process known as upwelling, which plays out along the entire U.S. Pacific coast. Upwelling explains why water temperatures along California, Oregon and Washington beaches are much cooler than similar-latitude beaches in the East.

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Why is the water in Florida so hot? Simply put, the rise in water temperature is due to a combination of things. Long-term changes in the earth's climate are a contributing factor, but so is the lack of wind on the surface of Florida's oceans, which is a side effect of climate change.

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The Balboa Peninsula provides shelter from the open Pacific to make Newport Beach waters the warmest in California year round. But any beach in southern California during August has relatively warm water.

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For any given latitude, the Atlantic Ocean has proved to be about 16 degrees F (9 degrees C) warmer than the Pacific Ocean off the U.S. coast — quite a difference.

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But on that same beach, it's not uncommon to see kids shivering as they run out of the water, or a surfer wearing a partial wetsuit as they jog out for a session. California's ocean water is pretty cold, even in the summer, and it often catches visitors off-guard.

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In general, there are no restrictions against collecting empty shells from California beaches. However, on some beaches, empty shells may not be collected.

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Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii It's ranked as one of the most beautiful beaches in the United States and has some of the warmest water, ranging from 77 to 82 degrees. What to do: The calm, clear waters are ideal for snorkeling.

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It's about what's in the water Along certain coasts, finer particles like sand and silt can add to the water's murkiness since they're easily agitated and stay afloat for long periods. On the other hand, the sediments off clearer coasts may be heavier and coarser.

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