Weather news
Every November day measured so far has beaten SoCal's ocean record, near 75 degrees
By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk · Published · Updated
Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.
What's new: Added the full satellite picture: all eight November days beat the old single-day record, plus the four warmest earlier days
The Southern California Bight averaged 72.6 degrees on Nov. 8, and every day from Nov. 1 to 8 beat the warmest November day in the satellite record back to 1981. Two buoys and the La Jolla tide gauge also set November records, by about 3 to 5.5 degrees. Coastal flood advisories are up today, with dangerous rip currents expected at several beaches, which is a separate issue from the warm water.
Key points
- Where: The Southern California Bight, the stretch of ocean from San Diego up past Los Angeles, including the Santa Monica and San Clemente Basins.
- When: Every day from Nov. 1 through Nov. 8 on satellite, and through Nov. 9 at La Jolla.
- What: The Bight averaged 72.6 degrees on Nov. 8. The warmest November day in the record before this year was 69.4 degrees, on Nov. 1, 2015.
- What it means: This is water temperature, not air temperature. Every gauge we checked broke its old November record by about 3 to 5.5 degrees.
The ocean off Los Angeles and San Diego is the warmest it has ever been in November, and every available satellite day from Nov. 1 through 8 beat the old record. NOAA's satellite record, which goes back to 1981, shows each of the first eight days of the month beating the old single-day November high for the Southern California Bight. Gauges from the Santa Monica Basin to La Jolla are reading about 75 degrees.
Every day this month beat the old record
Our numbers come from NOAA's satellite data. We averaged 112 ocean cells between roughly San Diego and Point Conception. Every day from Nov. 1 to 8 came in between 71.1 and 72.6 degrees. Even the coolest of those days is above the warmest November day in every November from 1981 through 2025.
The four warmest earlier days were 69.4 degrees on Nov. 1, 2015, 68.9 on Nov. 3, 1983, 67.7 on Nov. 5, 2014, and 67.6 on Nov. 5, 1997. The first eight days of this November averaged 71.6 degrees. The 1991-2020 normal for the same days is 63.8, so the water is running about 7.8 degrees above normal.
One caution. The 2026 satellite numbers are NOAA's preliminary daily product, and the latest day available is Nov. 8. The final version replaces it in about two weeks and normally lands within a few tenths of a degree. A shift that small would not change the call.
Three gauges say the same thing
You don't have to trust one instrument. Two buoys and a tide gauge each beat their own November record by a wide margin.
The Santa Monica Basin buoy hit 74.9 degrees on Nov. 6, and every November day there has been between 73.0 and 74.9. The old November high was 70.4, set Nov. 1, 2015, in records back to 1982.
The San Clemente Basin buoy read 75.2 degrees on Nov. 1. Its old November high was 72.4, also from Nov. 1, 2015.
The tide gauge on Scripps Pier in La Jolla read 75.5 degrees on Nov. 5. Every day from Nov. 1 to 9 stayed between 74.9 and 75.5. The old November high there was 70.0, set Nov. 1, 2014, with Novembers back to 1995 checked.
The 2014-15 marine heat wave held all of those old marks until now.
What to do
The warm water is separate from today's coastal hazards. Coastal flood advisories run until noon PST for San Diego County, Orange County and Ventura County beaches. Minor to locally moderate flooding is expected during the morning high tides. Surf is 3 to 7 feet on west-facing beaches in San Diego County and 5 to 8 feet at Ventura County beaches. Farther up the coast, beaches in San Luis Obispo County and central Santa Barbara County have breaking waves of 9 to 14 feet and moderate coastal flooding.
Dangerous rip currents are expected in San Diego, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and central Santa Barbara County. Warm water does not make the surf any gentler, so stay out of it at those beaches today. Check the live warnings page before you head to the coast, and sign up for Y'all Alerts to get them sent to you.
Bottom line
The water off Southern California is at a November record at every gauge we checked, and the satellite shows it on every available day of the month through Nov. 8. The satellite numbers are preliminary, but the buoys and the La Jolla tide gauge agree.
| Value | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | 72.6°F | Preliminary; every day Nov 1-8 ran 71.1 to 72.6 |
| Nov 1, 2015 | 69.4°F | Old record |
| Nov 3, 1983 | 68.9°F | |
| Nov 5, 2014 | 67.7°F | |
| Nov 5, 1997 | 67.6°F |
| Gauge | 2026 high | Old November record |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica Basin buoy (46025) | 74.9 (Nov 6) | 70.4 (Nov 1, 2015) |
| San Clemente Basin buoy (46086) | 75.2 (Nov 1) | 72.4 (Nov 1, 2015) |
| La Jolla, Scripps Pier | 75.5 (Nov 5) | 70.0 (Nov 1, 2014) |
Explained: Flood Advisory, Watch, Warning and Flash Flood Warning explained
More on Weather records, November 2026
Places in this story: San Diego, CA; Los Angeles, CA; La Jolla, CA
Sources
- NOAA CPC Niño 3.4 sea surface temperature index, NOAA Climate Prediction Center
https://ryanhallyall.com/news/socals-ocean-is-the-warmest-on-record-for-november-near-75-degrees