Ocean Temperatures Along the California Coast in Spring

Average water temperatures of the Pacific Ocean along the California coast during spring are listed below. You can jump to a separate table for each region of the state: Southern Coast, Los Angeles Area, Central Coast, San Francisco Area and Northern Coast.

Ocean spring temperatures range from an average of 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16.5 degrees Celsius) in southern California to 50 degrees F (10 °C) off the state's northern beaches.

These coastal water temperatures are averages compiled by the US National Oceanographic Data Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Pacific Ocean warms rapidly in spring along much of the California coast. The sea heats up especially fast in the sheltered waters at Newport Beach and at Alameda in San Francisco Bay.

A few places follow a different trend, though and register their coldest ocean temperature of the year during April and May. Spring brings the year's coolest water to Point Mugu, Point Lobos, Bodega Bay and Fort Ross.

Spring, in fact, is when the ocean at Fort Ross reaches the lowest average temperature for the state's entire coast. Fort Ross is the only place in California where the average ocean temperature drops below 50 degrees F.

Actual ocean temperatures do of course vary from year to year depending upon the weather and the flow of ocean currents.

Southern California Coast

Average ocean water temperature in °F
Place March April 1-15 April 16-30 May 1-15 May 16-31 June 1-15
Balboa 58 59 59 60 62 63
Dana Point 59 60 62 62 63 65
La Jolla 58 59 60 61 63 64
Newport Beach 60 60 61 63 64 66
Oceanside 58 59 60 61 62 63
San Clemente 58 58 59 60 61 63
Santa Catalina Island 58 58 59 60 62 62

Los Angeles Area

Average ocean water temperature in °F
Place March April 1-15 April 16-30 May 1-15 May 16-31 June 1-15
Anacapa Island 56 56 57 58 59 60
Gaviota 56 56 57 57 58 58
Los Angeles 60 60 60 61 61 62
Point Mugu 56 55 54 55 56 58
Port Hueneme 56 56 56 57 57 58
Santa Monica 58 58 59 60 61 63
Ventura 58 59 59 60 61 62
Zuma Beach 57 57 57 57 58 59

Central California Coast

Average ocean water temperature in °F
Place March April 1-15 April 16-30 May 1-15 May 16-31 June 1-15
Avila Beach 55 54 54 55 55 56
Morro Bay 54 53 54 54 55 56
Pacific Grove 54 54 55 55 55 56
Point Lobos 52 52 51 51 51 52
Santa Barbara 57 58 58 59 60 61

San Francisco Area

Average ocean water temperature in °F
Place March April 1-15 April 16-30 May 1-15 May 16-31 June 1-15
Alameda 56 57 60 62 63 64
Bodega Bay 52 51 50 50 50 51
San Francisco, Fort Point 54 54 55 55 55 56
Santa Cruz 54 54 54 55 55 56

Northern California Coast

Average ocean water temperature in °F
Place March April 1-15 April 16-30 May 1-15 May 16-31 June 1-15
Crescent City 51 51 52 53 54 54
Fort Ross 51 50 49 49 49 50
Mendocino 50 50 50 50 50 51
Trinidad 52 50 51 50 50 51
Reference

National Oceanographic Data Center. NOAA. NODC Coastal Water Temperature Guide (CWTG).

California Ocean Temperatures
Pacific Temperatures
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