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Why is ocean so cold in NJ this year?

That's because steady southwest winds are pushing warm water away from the beach and pulling colder water up from the bottom of the ocean, experts say.



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Unfortunately, we have to blame one of the crown jewels of Connecticut, the water. Water takes a lot more energy to heat up and cool down than land does. Because of this, our summers are always cooler right at the beaches, and our winters are typically warmer. Living along the shoreline does have its benefits.

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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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A little cooler than your body temperature (98.6° Fahrenheit) should not be too cold so that you don't get chilled. 70° to 78° Fahrenheit is the range where most folks feel comfortable swimming.

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