Sea Surface Temperature

Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 1 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 2 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 3 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 4 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 5 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 6 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 7 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 8 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 9 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 10 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 11 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 12 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 13 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 14 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 15 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 16 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 17 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 18 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 19 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 20 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 21 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 22 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 23 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 24 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 25 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 26 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 27 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 28 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 29 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 30 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 31 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 32 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 33 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 34 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 35 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 36 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 37 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 38 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 39 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 40 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 41 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 42 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 43 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 44 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 45 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 46 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 47 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 48 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 49 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 50 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 51 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 52 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 53 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 54 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 55 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 56 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 57 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 58 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 59 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 60 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 61 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 62 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 63 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 64 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 65 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 66 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 67 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 68 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 69 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 70 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 71 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 72 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 73 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 74 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 75 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 76 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 77 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 78 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 79 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 80 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 81 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 82 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 83 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 84 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 85 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 86 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 87 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 88 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 89 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 90 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 91 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 92 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 93 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 94 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 95 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 96 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 97 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 98 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 99 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 100 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 101 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 102 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 103 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 104 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 105 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 106 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 107 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 108 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 109 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 110 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 111 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 112 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 113 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 114 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 115 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 116 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 117 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 118 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 119 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 120 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 121 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 122 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 123 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 124 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 125 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 126 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 127 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 128 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 129 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 130 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 131 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 132 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 133 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 134 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 135 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 136 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 137 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 138 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 139 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 140 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 141 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 142 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 143 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 144 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 145 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 146 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 147 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 148 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 149 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 150 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 151 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 152 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 153 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 154 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 155 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 156 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 157 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 158 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 159 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 160 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 161 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 162 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 163 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 164 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 165 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 166 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 167 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 168 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 169 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 170 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 171 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 172 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 173 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 174 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 175 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 176 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 177 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 178 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 179 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 180 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 181 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 182 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 183 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 184 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 185 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 186 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 187 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 188 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 189 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 190 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 191 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 192 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 193 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 194 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 195 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 196 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 197 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 198 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 199 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 200 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 201 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 202 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 203 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 204 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 205 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 206 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 207 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 208 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 209 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 210 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 211 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 212 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 213 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 214 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 215 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 216 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 217 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 218 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 219 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 220 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 221 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 222 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 223 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 224 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 225 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 226 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 227 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 228 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 229 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 230 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 231 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 232 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 233 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 234 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 235 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 236 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 237 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 238 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 239 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 240 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 241 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 242 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 243 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 244 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 245 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 246 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 247 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 248 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 249 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 250 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 251 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 252 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 253 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 254 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 255 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 256 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 257 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 258 Global Map Sea Surface Temperature Image 259
Sea Surface Temperature
Sea Surface Temperature Scale

Sea surface temperatures have a large influence on climate and weather. For example, every 3 to 7 years a wide swath of the Pacific Ocean along the equator warms by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. This warming is a hallmark of the climate pattern El Niño, which changes rainfall patterns around the globe, causing heavy rainfall in the southern United States and severe drought in Australia, Indonesia, and southern Asia. On a smaller scale, ocean temperatures influence the development of tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons), which draw energy from warm ocean waters to form and intensify.

These sea surface temperature maps are based on observations by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The satellite measures the temperature of the top millimeter of the ocean surface. In this map, the coolest waters appear in blue (approximately -2 degrees Celsius), and the warmest temperatures appear in pink-yellow (35 degrees Celsius). Landmasses and the large area of sea ice around Antarctica appear in shades of gray, indicating no data were collected.

The most obvious pattern shown in the time series is the year-round difference in sea surface temperatures between equatorial regions and the poles. Various warm and cool currents stand out even in monthly averages of sea surface temperature. A band of warm waters snakes up the East Coast of the United States and veers across the North Atlantic—the Gulf Stream.

Although short-lived weather events that influence ocean temperature are often washed out in monthly averages, a few events show up. For example, in December 2003, strong winds blew southwest from the Gulf of Mexico over Central America toward the Pacific Ocean, driving surface waters away from the coast, and allowing cold water from deeper in the ocean to well up to the surface. These winds are a recurring phenomenon in the area in the winter; they are known as Tehuano winds.

View, download, or analyze more of these data from NASA Earth Observations (NEO):
Sea Surface Temperature