For example, the average July SST (sea surface temperature) at New York City at 40.7°N is 73 F, while at the same latitude in Eureka, CA is 57 F. As such, ocean surf temperatures are rarely above 70 F during the summer along the California south coast, while they are often above 82 F on the east coast from North Carolina southward.

The cold water is highly productive due to the upwelling,