Mean Sea-Surface Temperature
OceansPhysical EnvironmentAverage sea-surface temperatures between 1990 and 2020
Mean sea-surface temperatures shown using patterns of latitudinal bands extend roughly east to west. The coldest temperatures are shown in the northern latitudes. Temperatures warm as latitudes near the equator.
Sea-surface temperatures create latitudinal bands extending east to west, influenced by ocean currents and continents. In the tropics, temperatures range from 24.0 to 32.0 degrees Celsius; in the midlatitudes, from 8.0 to 23.9 degrees Celsius; and in higher latitudes and polar regions, from negative 2.0 to 7.9 degrees Celsius. Significant deviations occur along the Atlantic coast of western Europe, where temperatures are warmer than the east coast of North America at the same latitude, and along the Pacific coast of Canada, the Atlantic coasts of Canada and the northeastern United States, and the western coasts of South America and southern Africa, where waters are cooler than expected. The hottest ocean areas are between Indonesia and Australia (30.0 to 32.0 degrees Celsius), followed by tropical parts of the western Pacific and Indian oceans, and small areas along the coasts of West Africa and Central America (28.0 to 29.9 degrees Celsius).
-2.0 to 0.0 | 0.0 to 1.9 | 2.0 to 3.9 | 4.0 to 5.9 | 6.0 to 7.9 | 8.0 to 9.9 | 10.0 to 11.9 | 12.0 to 13.9 | 14.0 to 15.9 | 18.0 to 19.9 | 20.0 to 21.9 | 22.0 to 23.9 | 24.0 to 25.9 | 26.0 to 27.9 | 28.0 to 29.9 | Equatorial | Tropical | Subtropical | Temperate | Subpolar | Amerindian and Indo-European | Eskimo-Aleut | Indo-European | No Data | Very Low | Low | Moderately Low | Moderate | Moderately High | High | Very High | Extremely High | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yukon | 88.3% | 11.6% | 0.107% | 0.795% | 1.20% | 10.9% | 14.8% | 9.73% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwest Territories | 0.540% | 1.67% | 52.2% | 7.85% | 4.66% | 1.90% | 10.9% | 5.41% | 21.2% | 8.33% | 0.275% | 0.935% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Nunavut | 2.12% | 4.30% | 8.72% | 0.383% | 0.977% | 0.968% | 0.100% | 0.238% | 3.40% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nova Scotia | 1.84% | 0.489% | 0.275% | 0.472% | 8.68% | 18.3% | 4.31% | 0.376% | 7.89% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prince Edward Island | 5.18% | 54.8% | 94.3% | 91.5% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Saskatchewan | 12.5% | 87.5% | 0.919% | 28.6% | 8.52% | 1.02% | 0.695% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Brunswick | 0.647% | 0.219% | 2.16% | 99.2% | 3.39% | 0.324% | 35.6% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
British Columbia | 1.06% | 1.39% | 63.0% | 0.157% | 0.147% | 1.12% | 0.594% | 2.88% | 2.80% | 3.66% | 10.6% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Newfoundland and Labrador | 1.04% | 0.607% | 1.85% | 0.552% | 34.1% | 14.7% | 24.7% | 5.13% | 0.109% | 0.201% | 1.56% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Alberta | 55.4% | 0.298% | 0.424% | 0.728% | 1.52% | 10.5% | 0.222% | 1.32% | 0.431% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Québec | 0.165% | 0.264% | 0.352% | 24.9% | 34.9% | 0.469% | 1.02% | 2.36% | 2.98% | 1.97% | 1.83% | 1.52% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Manitoba | 4.25% | 66.4% | 0.786% | 11.3% | 36.2% | 21.9% | 0.653% | 4.68% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ontario | 0.375% | 0.107% | 49.9% | 50.0% | 28.2% | 14.0% | 30.5% | 13.7% | 0.243% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alabama | 0.114% | 0.128% | 99.9% | 17.9% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alaska | 0.243% | 0.756% | 0.368% | 2.05% | 0.827% | 27.6% | 0.108% | 0.153% | 0.220% | 0.183% | 1.08% | 0.155% | 0.137% | 1.29% | 0.106% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||||
Arizona | 19.5% | 80.5% | 0.139% | 10.8% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arkansas | 100% | 25.3% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
California | 0.120% | 0.206% | 0.550% | 0.247% | 99.7% | 0.438% | 1.08% | 5.44% | 13.5% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Colorado | 100% | 17.7% | 35.7% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Connecticut | 0.194% | 0.661% | 99.9% | 14.6% | 85.2% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Delaware | 1.06% | 4.66% | 99.2% | 21.0% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
District of Columbia | 100% | 100% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida | 0.797% | 0.110% | 0.317% | 0.665% | 2.09% | 98.8% | 0.355% | 80.3% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia | 0.230% | 99.9% | 0.544% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hawaii | 10.0% | 0.778% | 4.46% | 2.56% | 35.3% | 1.39% | 0.296% | 0.586% | 1.76% | 0.911% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Idaho | 100% | 0.401% | 1.00% | 8.30% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 100% | 0.259% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 100% | 30.9% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iowa | 100% | 10.5% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kansas | 100% | 12.6% | 48.2% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kentucky | 100% | 0.803% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Louisiana | 1.00% | 3.62% | 0.147% | 0.187% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maine | 0.534% | 1.22% | 0.167% | 82.9% | 16.3% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maryland | 2.09% | 3.11% | 98.1% | 1.80% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Massachusetts | 1.32% | 2.66% | 0.220% | 0.220% | 7.89% | 0.557% | 32.8% | 0.220% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan | 1.89% | 100% | 1.39% | 0.144% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 100% | 11.2% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mississippi | 100% | 18.5% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri | 100% | 5.67% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Montana | 100% | 0.729% | 0.291% | 1.69% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nebraska | 100% | 29.9% | 30.0% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nevada | 100% | 0.344% | 12.9% | 76.5% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Hampshire | 100% | 80.8% | 16.8% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Jersey | 0.163% | 1.14% | 3.26% | 99.1% | 1.93% | 0.357% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Mexico | 100% | 3.80% | 24.3% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New York | 0.265% | 0.344% | 1.81% | 2.63% | 0.690% | 33.9% | 0.977% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 0.239% | 0.183% | 0.286% | 2.25% | 99.4% | 42.1% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Dakota | 100% | 9.96% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio | 100% | 0.316% | 1.15% | 1.29% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oklahoma | 100% | 1.67% | 0.437% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oregon | 0.245% | 99.9% | 11.5% | 0.302% | 25.8% | 0.243% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pennsylvania | 100% | 33.7% | 0.565% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rhode Island | 4.89% | 8.19% | 94.9% | 94.9% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 99.8% | 58.8% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Dakota | 100% | 2.42% | 0.851% | 0.598% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tennessee | 100% | 2.12% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas | 0.214% | 0.188% | 99.8% | 0.168% | 8.05% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Utah | 0.663% | 99.3% | 0.376% | 0.196% | 39.2% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vermont | 100% | 0.314% | 1.37% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Virginia | 0.725% | 0.104% | 1.74% | 99.7% | 6.11% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Washington | 0.825% | 0.763% | 0.121% | 8.97% | 9.78% | 0.487% | 0.874% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Virginia | 100% | 21.1% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wisconsin | 0.545% | 100% | 0.259% | 0.247% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wyoming | 100% | 0.273% | 44.8% | 4.05% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||