Today's Sea Surface Temperature

at Trinidad Beach and Bay:

Note: sometimes the daily temperature is not taken

BEACH:

Daily Sea Surface Temperature and Salinity measured since 1975

Sampling Location: surf zone on Trinidad State Beach

Location Coordinates: 41° 03' 36.3" N, 124° 08' 56.4" W

BAY:

Daily Sea Surface Temperature measured since 1973

Sampling Location: middle of Trinidad Pier, lowering bucket with rope

Location Coordinates: 41° 03' 20.7" N, 124° 08' 49.8" W

Total number of Shore Station samples collected at Trinidad Bay:

See how the daily temperature reading compares to the long term average:

In the first plot above, you can find the most recent temperature data from the Trinidad Beach Shore Station written out in the top left corner, with the sampling date and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit. This most recent data point is shown on the plot in pink. You can compare this to the average temperature of that given day since 1975 (shown with the dark blue line), to see if it is warmer (above the dark blue line) or colder (below the dark blue line) than the long-term average. You can also see sea surface temperature every day from the start of the present year by looking at the light blue dots. Any light blue dots below the dark blue line show that ocean temperature has been colder than average and any light blue dots above the dark blue line show that ocean temperature has been warmer than average. The second plot is the same, except it shows the sea surface temperatures from the Trinidad Bay Shore Station since 1973.

Student lab technicians and staff from Cal Poly Humboldt Telonicher Marine Laboratory collect daily temperature and salinity samples from the northwest side of Trinidad State Beach which is located on the rocky headland between the Pacific Ocean and Trinidad Bay. Salinity samples are returned to Scripps once a month for analysis.

Except during periods of heavy runoff, salinity values from the coast and the bay are nearly identical. The student lab technicians also collect daily temperature measurements from the fishing pier on the lee or southeast side of the rocky headland between the Pacific Ocean and Trinidad Bay. Salinity samples are collected at this location if surf conditions are too rough for Trinidad Beach.

click here for trinidad Beach data from 1973-current & here for Trinidad bay data from 1975-current

Below are figures that we have modeled after the #ShowYourStripes Campaign (created by Ed Hawkins), to help us visualize how sea surface temperature has changed at Trinidad Beach since 1975 and Trinidad Bay since 1973. The change in temperature is relative to the average temperature calculated between 1975-2022 (Beach) and 1973-2022 (Bay).

Below you can see a plot showing Monthly Sea Surface Temperature and Salinity Averages from the Trinidad Beach Shore Station, split up by decade, since 1975. You can also see a plot showing Monthly Sea Surface Temperature Averages from the Trinidad Bay Shore Station, split up by decade, since 1973.