PART VI: WATER CHARACTERISTICS 



71. Results of daily measurements at the seaward end of the FRF pier, 

 surface water temperature, visibility, and density are presented in this sec- 

 tion. The summaries represent single observations made near 0700 EST and, 

 therefore, may not reflect daily average conditions, since such characteris- 

 tics can change within a 24-hr period. Large temperature variations were com- 

 mon when there were large differences between the air and water temperature 

 and variations in wind direction. From past experience, persistent onshore 

 winds piled up warm surface water along the shoreline, while offshore winds 

 caused colder bottom water to circulate up resulting in low temperatures. 



Temperature 



Present year 



72. Daily sea surface water temperatures (Figure 35) were measured with 

 a NOS bucket and thermometer. Monthly mean temperatures (Table 10) varied 

 with the air temperatures (see Table 2) with approximately a 1-month lag. 



30-i 



25H 



o 



O) 



• 20- 



3 15H 



I- 

 < 



Q_ 



*-?*'. 



JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 

 1985 



MONTH 



Figure 35. Daily sea surface water temperatures, 1985 



58 



