Sea temperature and salinity trends
We collect data on sea-surface temperature (and sometimes
salinity) at a number of coastal sites around England and Wales,
some operated by volunteers, some operated by local councils and
some associated with power stations. The longest time-series
include those from Eastbourne (1892 - present), Dover (1926 -
present) and Port Erin, Isle of Mann (1903 - present)
although most time series began in the 1960s or 1970s.
Data points are usually presented as monthly mean sea
surface temperature, in tabular format and are updated on an
annual basis (data up to 2009 is currently provided). Efforts are
underway to modernise some aspects of this network, and in
particular to try to re-start time series that have halted in
recent years, making use of electronic data loggers that are
deployed once or twice a year (for example in Lowestoft
harbour).
The data available through our website represents an
updated version of that presented in the report by Joyce et al. (2004)
(PDF,2.63 MB) but also Norris (2001) (PDF, 617
KB) and Jones and
Jeffs (1991) (PDF, 4.22 MB). As well as providing information
on temperature at fixed coastal sites, offshore data is also
available from the ferry route between Harwich (or Felixstowe) and
Rotterdam. Additional 'historic' data series are currently being
digitised such as the ferry route between Southampton and Saint
Malo (1910 to 1964) and from various offshore light-ships (e.g.
Smith's Knoll, 1911 to 1988). Surface temperature and salinity
time-series were assembled by Ellett and Jones (1994)
(PDF, 155 KB) from the Rockall Channel, spanning the period
1948 to 1992.