Southern California water temperature today
Across 22 reporting buoys, the water ranges from 67°F at Tanner Bank to 73°F at San Pedro South, CA.
Latest readings from the 22 NOAA buoys off Southern California: water temperature, wind and waves. Sorted with the long-running offshore buoys first.
| Buoy | Water | Wind | Waves | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa MariaNDBC 46011 · 34.94°N 121.00°W | 69°F 21°C | NE 2 kt | – | Oct 17, 15:40 UTC |
| Santa Monica BasinNDBC 46025 · 33.77°N 119.08°W | 72°F 22°C | NE 10 kt | – | Oct 17, 15:40 UTC |
| Tanner BankNDBC 46047 · 32.42°N 119.53°W | 67°F 20°C | ENE 10 kt | – | Oct 17, 15:40 UTC |
| Harvest, CANDBC 46218 · 34.45°N 120.78°W | 68°F 20°C | – | 4 ft @ 14s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| San Nicolas Island, CANDBC 46219 · 33.23°N 119.89°W | 70°F 21°C | – | 4 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:26 UTC |
| Santa Monica Bay, CANDBC 46221 · 33.86°N 118.64°W | 73°F 23°C | – | 2 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| San Pedro, CANDBC 46222 · 33.61°N 118.31°W | 73°F 23°C | – | 2 ft @ 14s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Oceanside Offshore, CANDBC 46224 · 33.18°N 117.47°W | 72°F 22°C | – | 3 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Torrey Pines Outer, CANDBC 46225 · 32.93°N 117.39°W | 73°F 23°C | – | 3 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Point Loma South, CANDBC 46232 · 32.52°N 117.42°W | 72°F 22°C | – | 4 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Santa Cruz Basin, CANDBC 46251 · 33.77°N 119.56°W | 72°F 22°C | – | 3 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| San Pedro South, CANDBC 46253 · 33.58°N 118.18°W | 73°F 23°C | – | 3 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| SCRIPPS Nearshore, CANDBC 46254 · 32.87°N 117.27°W | 72°F 22°C | – | 1 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Long Beach Channel, CANDBC 46256 · 33.70°N 118.20°W | 71°F 22°C | – | 4 ft @ 14s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Mission Bay West, CANDBC 46258 · 32.75°N 117.50°W | 73°F 23°C | – | 3 ft @ 14s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Santa Lucia Escarpment, CANDBC 46259 · 34.77°N 121.49°W | 69°F 21°C | – | 4 ft @ 14s | Oct 17, 15:26 UTC |
| Del Mar Nearshore, CANDBC 46266 · 32.96°N 117.28°W | 71°F 22°C | – | 2 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Topanga Nearshore, CANDBC 46268 · 34.02°N 118.58°W | 70°F 21°C | – | 2 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:00 UTC |
| Leucadia Nearshore, CANDBC 46274 · 33.06°N 117.31°W | 70°F 21°C | – | 2 ft @ 13s | Oct 17, 15:56 UTC |
| Red Beach Nearshore, CANDBC 46275 · 33.29°N 117.50°W | 72°F 22°C | – | 2 ft @ 14s | Oct 17, 15:30 UTC |
| Green Beach Offshore, CANDBC 46277 · 33.34°N 117.66°W | 73°F 23°C | – | 3 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:30 UTC |
| Capistrano Beach Nearshore, CANDBC 46285 · 33.45°N 117.68°W | 72°F 22°C | – | 3 ft @ 18s | Oct 17, 15:26 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 Southern 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 Southern 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