Spa-like ocean temperatures off Sydney

Craig started the topic in Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 03:10 pm

Anyone that's been surfing early morning across the Southern NSW Coast the last couple of weeks and noticed the invitingly warm air and sand just beyond the shore-line and then once getting in the water the stupidly warm ocean should be interested in this.

https://i.imgur.com/5qjBidu.gif

This shows a strong tongue of the East Australian Current pushing down a lot further south than normal, with 22-23 degree water temperatures close to the coast, and further offshore, amazing 25 degree water!

This is a lot warmer than normal, and as you can see in this sea surface temperature anomaly chart (current temp difference to the long term climatical average) it's over 4+ degrees above average.

https://i.imgur.com/TNrW6kj.png

I don't think anyones complaining, and it's been a lot better in the ocean that out the last few mornings with those crisp south-westers.

thermalben Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 03:13 pm

Was toasty in the water this morning that's for sure. Actually I recall last year surfing in a springy all the way through to July! Wonder if it'll happen again.

Craig Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 07:25 pm

Yeah, I can usually get through until June, but jump into the 3'2 when those howling offshore westerly days kick up.

donweather Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 08:09 pm

Wetsuit? What are they? ;)

zenagain Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 08:25 pm

Oh God, if only.

mitchvg Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 09:21 pm

Craig that 4th last deadies shot is sick. Almost seems like a new take on the speed blur

Craig Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 09:27 pm

Cheers Mitch, the one where the guys blowing it and the waves running off without him?

mitchvg Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 09:39 pm

yup! Looking closer, is there a booger in the lip of the previous photo? and a guy trying to paddle way on the shoulder of the photo previous to that (5th from start)?

How big would you say that 4th last one is btw? I'd say 7ft? I'd even agree with 8.9ft

Craig Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 09:39 pm

Yep, here's the video, hectic times for the boog Chris Harding, but he was gonna take it and then the standup swung late into it and he got pitched in the lip.

How's the next wave on the head as well! Heavy!

Video by Mark Clinton:

 

mitchvg Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 10:30 pm

Hectic indeed.

Anyway, those sorts of anomalies aren't due to the ekman transport are they? Even though the first map looks as though it could be...

Craig Friday, 18 Apr 2014 at 11:30 am

Nothing to do with Ekman transport Mitch and just more due to a strong pulse of warm water pushing down the EAC, possibly due to an intensification of the current.

Ekman transport is created by wind on water, and leads to upwelling/downwelling, but more so in lateral terms away/into the coast.