Mean Sea-Surface Temperature
OceansPhysical EnvironmentAverage sea-surface temperatures between 1990 and 2020
NOAAMean 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 | Value | Continental Shelf | Barren or Sparsely Vegetated Areas | South Central | Northeast | Southeast | Northeast | West | Central | North Central | Central | Southwest | Upper Delta | Southeast | Northeast | West Central | Upper Plains | East Central | Northeast Prairie | North Central | West Central | East Central | West Southwest | East Central | Central | South Central | Coastal Plain | South Central | Central | Northern Valley | Northwest Prairie | Southeast | Lower Delta | North Central | Northeast | South Central | Southeast | South Central | West Central Plains | Central | Northwest | East Central | South Central | Central | East Central | South Central | Southwest | Southwest | Eastern | Prairie | North Central | Bootheel | Southeast | East Southeast | Northwest | East | Northwest | Southeast | Appalachian Mountain | North Central | Central | East Central | Southwest | South Central | East Ozarks | East Central | South Central | Northwest | Southeast | Southwest | North Central | Northeast | Southwest | Low Rolling Plains | Southeast | Southeast | Central | Northeast | Southwest | Southeast | East Central | Northeast | North Central | Eastern | West Ozarks | Northwest | Central | Southwest | Central | West Central | Western | North Central | Gulf | Southeast | Northeast | Western Plateau | Cumberland Plateau | North Central | Western | Edwards Plateau | Central | West Central | Blue Grass | Central | East Central | Middle | Piedmont Plateau | Central | Southern | North Central | Panhandle | Northeast | Southeast | Southwestern | South Central | West Central | Eastern Valley | Northeast | Southwest Plateau | East Texas | South Central | Central Mountains | West Central | Central | Northwest | Southwest | East Central | Northeast | North Central | Northwestern | West Central | Coastal | Southwestern Mountain | Southwest | Southern Mountains | Southwest | South Central | Central | Northwest | South Central | Central | West Central | Mountain | North Central | Southwest | North Central | West Central | West Central | Northwest | South Central Lower | Central Lakes | Allegheny Plateau | South Central Mountains | Northwest | West Central | South Central | Northeastern | Southwest | North Central | Northeast | Central Mountain | South Panhandle | Mohawk Valley | Northwest | Southwest | Upper Susquehanna | Central Hills | South | Southwest Lower | South Central | Northwest | Northwest | East Central | North Central | Southeast | Aleutians | Northeast Interior | Central | Northern Mountains | Northwest Plateau | Middle Susquehanna | Northeastern | Snake Drainage | Western Piedmont | Eastern Plateau | Northeast | Upper Coast | Northwest | Southeast Interior | Central | North Central | Northwest | West Central | Appalachian Mountains | Southeastern | Central Piedmont | North Central | East Central | Central Coastal Plain | Northeast Hills | Northeastern | Southwest | High Plains | North | Eastern Piedmont | North | Northern Piedmont | Great Lakes | Northern Coastal Plain | Bristol Bay | Southern Piedmont | Northwest Gulf | East Central | Southeast | Northern Plateau | West Olympic Coast | North | Cook Inlet | Central | North Central | Champlain Valley | South Interior | Southern | West Central Lower | Black Hills | Northeast | Southern Coastal Plain | South Central | Lower Valley | Yellowstone Drainage | Wind River | Central Lower | North Central | Okanogan Big Bend | Southeast Lower | Northeast | Cheyenne Niobrara Drainage | Northeast Gulf | East Central Lower | Northeast | Central Interior | Tidewater | Pocono Mountains | West Upper | Northern | Western | Kansas Drainage | East Upper | Arkansas Drainage | Everglades and Southwest Coast | East Olympic Cascade Foothills | Panhandle | West | St | Central Basin | Cascade Mountains West | Northern Cascades | Puget Sound Lowlands | Northern Mountains | Rio Grande Drainage | Southwestern Mountains | East Central Mountains | South Central | Big Horn | Lower Susquehanna | Powder, Little Mo and Tongue Drainages | South | Southeast | Eastern Highlands | Lower East Coast | West Coast | Northeastern | North Slope | Hudson Valley | Southeastern | Southwestern | Trans Pecos | Northeastern Plains | Coastal | Belle Fourche Drainage | North Central Prairies | Panhandle | Northwest | Upper Snake River Plains | Western | North Central | East Slope Cascades | Green and Bear Drainage | Northeast Lower | Southern Desert | Central | Lower Southern | Platte Drainage | Central Mountains | Willamette Valley | Coastal Area | Upper Platte | Central | Sacramento Drainage | Southwestern Highlands | North Central Canyons | Southeastern Piedmont | East Central | Lower Platte | Northeast | Northeastern Shore | Northeast | Northeastern Valleys | Northeastern | Northwest Lower | North Central | Northwestern Plateau | Upper Southern | Southwestern Valleys | Central Eastern Shore | Northern | North Coast Drainage | Palouse Blue Mountains | Northern Mountains | Coastal | San Joaquin Drainage | Central Valley | Central Coast Drainage | Northern | High Plateau | Northeast Interior Basins | Coastal | Central Plains | Southeast | Southern | Southeastern Shore | Western | Central Highlands | Southeastern Plains | Northwest | South Central | North Central | Rhode Island (Entire State) | Northwestern | Southern | Coastal | South Central | Colorado Drainage | North Central | Southwestern Valleys | South Central | South Coast Drainage | Coastal | Southwest | Dixie | Uinta Basin | Southeast | Southeast Desert Basins | Extreme Southern | South Central | |
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1.06% | 0.769% | 0.553% | 0.725% | 0.603% | 0.825% | 0.239% | 0.135% | 0.206% | 0.342% | 0.126% | 0.317% | 1.60% | 0.778% | 4.46% | 0.994% | 4.35% |