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 



Density 





de 



R C 





m 



R/cm 3 









1980- 





1980- 





1980- 



Month 



1990 



1990 



1990 



1990 



1990 



1990 



Jan 



6.7 



5.9 



2.0 



1.3 



1.0241 



1.0236 



Feb 



9.0 



5.3 



2.5 



1.8 



1.0236 



1.0232 



Mar 



10.1 



6.9 



2.1 



1.6 



1.0232 



1.0229 



Apr 



12.6 



11.0 



2.5 



2.0 



1.0223 



1.0226 



May 



15.4 



15.3 



3.1 



2.4 



1.0230 



1.0222 



Jun 



20.2 



19.3 



4.0 



3.5 



1.0212 



1.0215 



Jul 



22.5 



22.0 



4.3 



3.8 



1.0216 



1.0215 



Aug 



26.4 



23.7 



4.0 



3.2 



1.0195 



1.0204 



Sep 



25.1 



23.0 



2.6 



2.2 



1.0199 



1.0209 



Oct 



21.8 



19.5 



2.1 



1.5 



1.0221 



1.0217 



Nov 



15.7 



14.9 



2.0 



1.0 



1.0224 



1.0229 



Dec 



11.9 



10.0 



1.5 



1.1 



1.0234 



1.0235 



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) . 



45 



