6 Water Characteristics 



Monthly averages of daily measurements of surface water temperature, visibility, and density at 

 the seaward end of the FRF pier are given in Table 8. The summaries represent single observations 

 made near 0700 EST and, therefore, may not reflect daily average conditions since such chararteris- 

 tics can change within a 24-hr period. Large temperature variations were common when there were 

 large differences between the air and water temperatures and variations in wind direction. From past 

 experience, persistent onshore winds move warmer surface water toward the shoreline, although 

 offshore winds cause colder bottom water to circulate shoreward, resulting in lower temperatures. 



Table 8 















Mean Surface Water Characteristics 





. 









Temperature 



Visi 



bi I i ty 



Dens 



? 





de;; 



C 





m 



g/a 





1980- 





1980- 





1980- 



Month 



1992 



1992 



1992 



1992 



1992 



1992 



Jan 



8.3 



6.4 



1.1 



1.3 



1.0246 



1.0235 



Feb 



6.8 



5.7 



2.2 



1.8 



- 



1.0232 



Har 



8.2 



7.2 



1.9 



1.6 



1.0243 



1.0229 



Apr 



10.9 



11.1 



2.1 



2.0 



1.0235 



1.0225 



Hay 



15.0 



15.4 



1.1 



2.3 



1.0211 



1.0220 



Jun 



18.8 



19.6 



2.3 



3.3 



1.0209 



1.0213 



Jul 



19.1 



21.9 



3.5 



3.8 



1.0227 



1.0215 



Aug 



22.9 



23.8 



3.7 



3.2 



1.0211 



1.0204 



Sep 



23.2 



23.1 



2.3 



2.3 



1.0209 



1.0209 



Oct 



17.8 



19.4 



1.1 



1.5 



1.0223 



1.0217 



Nov 



U.4 



14.8 



1.3 



1.1 



1.0229 



1.0229 



Dec 



9.1 



10.0 



1.1 



1.1 



1.0233 



1.0235 



Annual 



K.6 



14.9 



2.0 



2.1 



1.0225 



1.0222 



Temperature 



Daily sea surface water temperatures (Figure 19) were measured with an NOS water sampler and 

 thermometer. Monthly mean water temperatures (Table 8) varied with the air temperatures 

 (see Table 2). 



41 



