So is the ocean always so cold?
Depending on what zone you're in, the temperature changes.
The intertidal zone:
-- The temperature in the intertidal zone depends on lots of things. Since it is sometimes submerged, and other times it isn't the temperature can range. In a cool climate (outside the ocean), the temperature can be below freezing, but in a really warm climate, this zone can have warm waters.
The pelagic zone:
-- This zone is generally a warm zone, however, because warm and cold currents are constantly mixing, it can be cold in some parts and cooler in others.
The benthic zone:
-- The temperature of this zone is colder than the pelagic zone and is pretty much always cold.
The abyssal zone:
-- This zone is the coldest of all of the zones. Because no sunlight reaches this zone the water is never heated.
Temperatures of the different oceans:
Pacific Ocean: freezing to about 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Atlantic Ocean: freezing to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Indian Ocean: freezing to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Southern Ocean: below freezing to 52 degrees Fahrenheit.
Arctic Ocean: below freezing to right above the freezing point of ocean water (-1.8 degrees Celsius)
The average temperature of all oceans is 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
Climate...
-- Tropical oceans, near the equator, often have warm climates.
-- Oceans in the polar regions usually have a much colder climate and can even freeze over!
-- The oceans of the world play a huge role in regulating climate outside of the ocean.
- El Niño - warm ocean temperatures in the equatorial pacific
- La Niña - cold ocean temperatures in the equatorial pacific
- Water in the ocean hold a large amount of heat. When air, with a different temperature than the ocean surface,
comes in contact with the ocean, heat transfer takes place.
Precipitation...
-- The ocean usually has about 480 centimeters of precipitation a year. (this can vary depending on the location)
-- 75% of precipitation in the world falls on the oceans
The intertidal zone:
-- The temperature in the intertidal zone depends on lots of things. Since it is sometimes submerged, and other times it isn't the temperature can range. In a cool climate (outside the ocean), the temperature can be below freezing, but in a really warm climate, this zone can have warm waters.
The pelagic zone:
-- This zone is generally a warm zone, however, because warm and cold currents are constantly mixing, it can be cold in some parts and cooler in others.
The benthic zone:
-- The temperature of this zone is colder than the pelagic zone and is pretty much always cold.
The abyssal zone:
-- This zone is the coldest of all of the zones. Because no sunlight reaches this zone the water is never heated.
Temperatures of the different oceans:
Pacific Ocean: freezing to about 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Atlantic Ocean: freezing to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Indian Ocean: freezing to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Southern Ocean: below freezing to 52 degrees Fahrenheit.
Arctic Ocean: below freezing to right above the freezing point of ocean water (-1.8 degrees Celsius)
The average temperature of all oceans is 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
Climate...
-- Tropical oceans, near the equator, often have warm climates.
-- Oceans in the polar regions usually have a much colder climate and can even freeze over!
-- The oceans of the world play a huge role in regulating climate outside of the ocean.
- El Niño - warm ocean temperatures in the equatorial pacific
- La Niña - cold ocean temperatures in the equatorial pacific
- Water in the ocean hold a large amount of heat. When air, with a different temperature than the ocean surface,
comes in contact with the ocean, heat transfer takes place.
Precipitation...
-- The ocean usually has about 480 centimeters of precipitation a year. (this can vary depending on the location)
-- 75% of precipitation in the world falls on the oceans