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San Diego ocean temperature hits 77.2 degrees, up from high 50's 3 weeks ago

"It is very likely that this is the most rapid change from really cold to really warm at the pier that has possibly ever been recorded."

SAN DIEGO — The average temperature at the Scripps Pier this time of year is typically 70 to 71 degrees.

"The change that we've seen since several weeks ago is pretty amazing," said Art Miller, Oceanographer at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. 

About 3 weeks ago, temperatures dropped into the high 50s.

"This has been a pretty unusual year. Usually, in July and August, we have temperatures in the 60s. This is the coldest that they have ever been," added Miller.

This is the fastest warm-up Miller can remember.

"It is very likely that this is the most rapid change from really cold to really warm at the pier that has possibly ever been recorded," said Miller.

Miller says San Diego usually does not see fluctuations like this and attributes the drastic change to a drop in upwelling.

Upwelling is when northwest winds blow warm surface water away from the coastline allowing the deeper, much cooler water to rise, but that mixing is not happening right now.

So get out and enjoy it while you can, the ocean temps could cool as soon as the northwest winds pick up again.

"They start to cool down as we get into October, fall season and wintertime," added Miller.

The water may be warm, but it isn't the warmest.  The highest reading ever made here at the pier was 80 degrees set in early August of 2018.

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