How cold is SF water?

Average annual water temperature on the coast in San Francisco is 54°F, by the seasons: in winter 53°F, in spring 53°F, in summer 54°F, in autumn 56°F. Minimum water temperature (50°F) in San Francisco it happens in February, maximum (59°F) in October.


How cold is the water in SF Bay?

The ocean off San Francisco is at its warmest from mid August to late September when the temperature averages 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius). The coolest months are January and February, when the sea temperature is typically at 53 °F (11.7 ° C).

Why is SF water so cold?

The water along the coast of California is cold for a couple of reasons. First, the California Current brings cold water from Alaska southward along the coast. And second, cold water from the deep ocean comes up to the surface through a process called upwelling.


Is it ever warm enough to swim in San Francisco?

“The water temperature rarely goes above 65 degrees even in the warmest of months, so swimmers can train year-round in the bay. Even in the winter, the water temperature rarely goes or stays below 50 degrees, making this the ideal place to remain cold-water acclimated,” she says.

How cold is Alcatraz water?

Competitors will begin the race right by Alcatraz Island and finish at St. Francis beach. Water temperatures can be as low as 48°F but usually vary between 49-56°F, so check out our tips on getting acclimatized to cold water and preferably attend some winter clinics and swims.


how cold is the water?



Why are Bay Area beaches so cold?

Upwelling is what makes Bay Area beaches unpleasant for casual dipping in summer: High inland temperatures in spring and summer create northwest winds that run parallel to the coast, pushing warmer surface water offshore and pulling the cold water up.

How long can you survive in 60 degree water?

At a water temperature of 50 - 60 degrees, death may occur in 1 - 6 hours. At a water temperature of 60 - 70 degrees, death may occur in 2 - 40 hours.

How cold is 60 degree water?

70 Degrees - 60 Degrees

This water temperature is, unless you are accustomed to it, probably uncomfortably cold. Your breathing will be harder to maintain in this temperature, and you won't be able to hold your breath nearly as long as you would otherwise.


Can I swim in 65 degree water?

When water temperatures are between 60 and 70 degrees it becomes progressively more difficult to control your breathing. It becomes very dangerous in water temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees. You lose the ability to control breathing in this temperature range, according to the National Center for Cold Water Safety.

Is 70 degree water too cold to swim?

Don't Swim if Your Pool Water Is Below 70 Degrees

According to the National Center for Cold Water Safety, water temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit should be treated with caution. The “perfect” temperature for a swimming pool tends to range between 77 and 82 degrees. The average is somewhere around 79 degrees.

Do I need a wetsuit for 62 degree water?

The range of 50 to 78 degrees is therefore the ideal range for using a wetsuit. Any warmer, and the swimmer may actually overheat due to the wetsuit's insulative qualities. Truth be told, we think it is pretty easy to get too warm inside a wetsuit even in the 74-77 degree range.


Can you get frostbite in 60 degree water?

For frostbite to occur, the tissue actually has to freeze—meaning a dip to 32 degrees F (0 degree C) or lower. The parts of the body submerged in water are not in danger of becoming frostbitten, because the water temperature (41 degrees F) is not freezing.

What water is too cold to swim in?

WHAT IS THE MAGIC NUMBER? Petty officer Brian McCrum, of the United States Coast Guard District 9 public affairs department, told The Weather Network in 2019 that anything below 25°C (77°F) is considered cold and has risks associated with it.

How cold can a human survive?

Therapeutic hypothermia was introduced: The body is cooled down to induce hypothermia to protect patients during open heart surgery as well as victims of strokes, seizures and liver failure. Still, 56.7 degrees is the coldest anyone has ever been and survived.


Why is San Francisco never hot?

The typical weather here is much cooler than the rest of California. Why is San Francisco cold all the time? The city is actually a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by cool water where the Pacific Ocean on the west meets the bay on the east. When warm air mixes with this cool water, it creates fog.

Why doesn t San Francisco get hot?

But San Francisco got left out of the hot, dry part, due to its position on the tip of a peninsula surrounded by very cold water. San Francisco also benefits from the contrast between the cold ocean current and the extreme heat of California's Central Valley.

Is 75 water too cold to swim in?

Safe temperatures for swimming pools vary with type of activity. According to the World Health Organization, water temperatures ranging from 78 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit are generally comfortable and safe for those engaging in moderate physical activity in a pool.


Is 75 degrees water warm enough to swim?

Lap swimming for exercise

Most lap swimmers like the water temperature to be somewhere between 75-80 degrees. Being active by swimming laps will cause the body to heat up fairly quickly.

How cold was the water when the Titanic sank?

The temperature of the water was -2.2 degrees Celsius when Titanic was sinking.

How long does it take to get hypothermia in 70 degree water?

In water temperatures from 70-80 degrees, exhaustion or unconsciousness can set in within 3-12 hours; 60-70 degrees, 2-7 hours, and in water from 50-60 degrees, you could be unconscious in 1-2 hours.


Can you get hypothermia in 50 degree water?

Hypothermia is most likely at very cold temperatures, but it can occur even at cool temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or submersion in cold water.

Do you soak frostbite in warm water?

Gently rewarm frostbitten areas.

Soak frostbitten fingers, toes or other extremities in warm water — 105 to 110 F (about 40 to 43 C). If a thermometer isn't available, test the water by placing an uninjured hand or elbow in it — it should feel very warm, not hot.

How cold is too cold without a wetsuit?

Generally speaking, anytime the water temp is below 70 degrees, a wetsuit can feel pretty good. And anytime the water temp is below 65, a wetsuit might actually be advised in order to keep the swimmer from having a reaction to the cold.


Can you get hypothermia in 63 degree water?

Typically people in temperate climates don't consider themselves at risk from hypothermia in the water, but hypothermia can occur in any water temperature below 70°F.