A comparison of winter and summer temperature variations in a shallow bar-built estuary

Abstract

Bihourly water temperatures from two, 110-day study periods are compared for a study site in the Indian River Lagoon, along the Atlantic coast of South Florida. Results of a summer study include the annual maximum temperatures in July and August, and reveal low-frequency variations of ±1–2°C superimposed onto the annual curve. The winter study shows the annual minimum temperatures in late February and low-frequency variations of ±3–4°C superimposed onto the annual curve. At the very long and the very short periodicities, thermal activity is consistently higher during the winter study. At the diurnal period, however, the temperature range during the summer study is twice that recorded during the winter study, and the time of warmest water in the diurnal cycle is shifted back between two and three hours toward mid day in the summer months. This is attributed to the relative increase in importance of heating by insolation at that time of year. Sensible and latent heat fluxes appear to damp the diurnal cycle in both records.