PART VI: WATER CHARACTERISTICS 



52. Monthly averages of daily measurements of surface water tempera- 

 ture, 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 characteristics 

 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 



Visibility 



Densi 



ity 





deg 



C 



1 



n 



g/cm" 







1980- 





1980- 





1980- 



Month 



1987 



1987 



1987 



1987 



1987 



1987 

















Jan 



6.4 



5.8 



0.8 



1.1 



1.0228 



1.0236 



Feb 



3.8 



4.5 



1.4 



1.6 



1.0221 



1.0231 



Mar 



5.7 



6.5 



1.3 



1.4 



1.0217 



1.0228 



Apr 



10.2 



10.9 



1.6 



2.0 



1.0193 * 



1.0224 



May 



15.5 



15.2 



2.0 



2.3 



1.0207 



1.0223 



Jun 



19.1 



19.3 



3.2 



3.5 



1.0215 



1.0215 



Jul 



22.7 



21.8 



4.3 



3.9 



1.0209 



1.0215 



Aug 



24.4 



23.3 



3.4 



3.0 



1.0208 



1.0205 



Sep 



24.2 



22.8 



3.8 



2.2 



1.0207 



1.0209 



Oct 



18.0 



19.1 



2.4 



1.5 



1.0218 



1.0216 



Nov 



14.0 



14.7 



1.3 



0.9 



1.0232 



1.0227 



Dec 



9.8 



10.1 



1.1 



1.0 



1.0237 



1.0232 



14.6 14.5 



1.0217 



* Only 11 density measurements 1n April. 



Temperature 



53. 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) . 



44 



