Paper 10 



stations along the coasts of Month America (Appendix 10.1). 



The 1976 data are presented as anomalies from a long-term mean 

 for the period 1948-75. This reference period differs from the 

 1948-67 period used for other data sets such as maps of SST 

 anomaly (McLain^ Paper 9). The change was necessary to develop 

 means for certain stations which were established in the last 

 de cade - 



The stations used in this report are shown in Figu 

 stations chosen were those which had the best 

 desirable characteristics: exposure to open ocea 

 long data records^ minimum gaps in data recordS/^ an 

 between stations. The ideal combination seldom 

 consequently many of the sations used were in estua 

 in coverage^ or were at varying intervals along the 

 example^ data coverage is poor in Oregon and Was 

 stations are in estuaries or are subject to river r 

 Neah Bay near the mouth of the Strait of Juan d 

 coverage was available from British Columbia ligh 

 have long complete data records from Dpen/ exposed 



re 10.1. The 

 combination of 

 n condi t ions r 

 d equidistance 



existed and 

 riesr had gaps 



coast. For 

 hington as all 

 unoff (as at 

 e Fuca ) . Good 

 thouses which 

 locat ions . 



The data are plotted as contoured isopleths of the long-term mean 

 and anomaly by month and station position along the coast. 

 Temperature data are in degrees Celsius while density data are in 

 sigma-t units C(density-l) x lOOOD. Density values are computed 

 for a standard water temperature of 15. OC. All monthly means 

 represent at Least 12 daily observations. 



WEST COAST SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES 



The long-term monthly mean (1948-75) SST's at stations along the 



mini mum values in 

 July or August . 

 AK^ while maxi mum 

 CA. The winter 

 southern stations 

 at t he nor t hern 

 February. S ummer 

 except 



west coast of North America (Fig. 10.2) had 



January and February and maximum values in 



Minimum winter temperature occurred at Kodiakr 



summer temperature occurred at Los Ancelesx 



minima occurred earlier (in January) at the 



(California to southern British Columbia) than 



stations/' where minimum values occurred in 



maxima occurred in August at all stations along the coast 



at Neah Bay^ vJA^ where the maximum occurred in July. 



Bakun et al. C1974) described the long-term mean distribution of 

 SST from ships in 1-deg squares of longitude and Latitude 

 adjacent to the west coast of the United States. Their data show 

 that offshore SST minima and maxima occur about one month later 

 than at the shore stations. This may result from more rapid 

 warming in spring and cooling in fall in shallower coastal 

 waters. The summer maximum temperatures reported by Pakun 



152 



