Northern California water temperature today
Across 5 reporting buoys, the water ranges from 52°F at Port Orford to 57°F at Point Arena.
Latest readings from the 5 NOAA buoys off Northern California: water temperature, wind and waves. Sorted with the long-running offshore buoys first.
| Buoy | Water | Wind | Waves | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point ArenaNDBC 46014 · 39.23°N 123.98°W | 57°F 14°C | N 12 kt | – | Oct 17, 15:10 UTC |
| Port OrfordNDBC 46015 · 42.75°N 124.84°W | 52°F 11°C | NNW 10 kt | 6 ft | Oct 17, 15:10 UTC |
| Eel RiverNDBC 46022 · 40.72°N 124.54°W | 54°F 12°C | NNE 10 kt | – | Oct 17, 15:10 UTC |
| Cape Mendocino, CANDBC 46213 · 40.29°N 124.75°W | 55°F 13°C | – | 7 ft @ 13s | Oct 17, 15:00 UTC |
| Humboldt Bay, North Spit, CANDBC 46244 · 40.90°N 124.36°W | 56°F 13°C | – | 5 ft @ 13s | Oct 17, 14:56 UTC |
See where the warm and cold water actually sits between these buoys, and where the temperature breaks and color changes are, on the satellite chart for Northern California.
FAQ
Where does this water temperature come from?
From NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). Each buoy measures the water temperature near the surface, usually about a meter down, and reports roughly every hour. We pull the latest reading for every buoy off Northern California.
How often does this page update?
Every time you load it. Readings come straight from NOAA and are at most about 30 minutes behind what NOAA has published.
Why is the buoy temperature different from the satellite chart?
A buoy measures one spot a meter or so below the surface. A satellite measures the skin of the water over a wide area. On calm, sunny afternoons the skin can read warmer than the water below it. More in our guide to ground-truthing SST with buoys.
Related: How to use buoy data to ground-truth satellite SST · Ideal water temperatures for pelagic fish