If it’s felt a bit warmer in the ocean this past summer, there’s a good reason why. Buoys off the coast of California have recorded new record high temperatures, as the Pacific is experiencing a marine heatwave.
Scripps Institute’s Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP), a network of buoys set up to monitor ocean activity, has recorded that the Santa Monica Bay was nearly 6F above its 26-year average, while Torrey Pines also sat at 6F above a 23-year average.
Scientists have also linked the warmer waters to differences in white shark migratory patterns too.
A post to Instagram from Scripps reads: “If you’ve spent any time in the ocean off the coast of California, you may have noticed the water feels less refreshing and more like bath water. Data gathered by the Coastal Data Information Program (@cdipbuoys)is backing this up.
“Long-term buoy records give us the historical perspective to tell the difference between a warm week and a long-term climate signal,” said Randy Bucciarelli, a Programmer Analyst and Technical Liaison with CDIP. “Without decades of consistent observations, we wouldn’t have the baseline to understand how this summer compares to what we’ve seen in the past.”
Related: Why Great White Sharks Are Suddenly Haunting Safe Coastlines
“For example, two long-running CDIP buoys are recording water temperatures about 6°F above normal for this time of year. Santa Monica Bay: roughly 74°F, which is nearly 6°F above its 26-year average for Aug. 25, setting a new daily record. Torrey Pines: approximately 77°F, which is also nearly 6°F above its 23-year average. And it’s not just a one-day spike. Water temperatures across the summer have averaged about 2°F warmer than normal, with July and August especially warm.
“NOAA has identified Southern California as being in a marine heatwave since May 2025, with temperatures around 3 to 4°F above normal. These CDIP measurements closely match that broader pattern with 47 daily records set in Santa Monica and 76 records at the Torrey Pines buoy in 2026.
“This ocean heat is also driving the humid heatwave impacting Southern California. “That vapor in the coastal zone is going to make conditions more humid,” according to Scripps climate scientist Alexander Gershunov. “That’s what’s making our heat waves more humid and that’s what’s keeping temperatures much hotter at night.”
It is also understood that this year’s strong El Niño, the heating up of the Pacific Ocean, has also played a contributing factor in the rising temperatures. We’ll bring you all the latest as El Niño unfolds.
Related: El Niño Likely to Be Strongest Ever On Record: Here’s What It Means For Surfing
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