Climate Change

Coastal Ocean Temperature

Click on image for larger pdf version.

Red bars show the change in sea-surface temperature since 1950.

Over the past 50 years, the ocean has become warmer along the British Columbia coast.

Changes in ocean temperature affect coastal weather and climate as well as the life cycles of marine organisms and the productivity of marine ecosystems.

Records for the B.C. coast show:

• There has been a significant increase in average sea-surface temperature at five of nine sampling stations along the coast.

• The largest 50-year increase was 0.9°C, recorded at Langara Island (northwest Queen Charlotte Islands). The second largest was 0.8°C, at Entrance Island in the Strait of Georgia.

• Data from seven coast inlets also show a deep-water warming trend of 0.5–1.0°C over the past 50 years (not shown on map).

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report [pdf].

Next: Sea Level Rise on the B.C. Coast >>