By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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Swimmers could experience hypothermia in only 30 minutes off the coast of Crescent City, California, after water temperatures plunged because of coastal winds.
Summer temperatures in Northern and Central California could have more people flocking to the beach to cool off in the ocean, but data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that some of the coastal waters are too cold for safe swimming. A recent temperature reading off the coast of Crescent City revealed that water temperatures were 47.3 degrees Fahrenheit, more than 3 degrees below normal for this time of year and 4 degrees below winter water temperatures in January.
Meteorologists and weather experts are blaming the temperature plunge on an "intense marine cold spell."
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"An intense marine cold spell is gripping the Northern and Central California coast, with water temperatures up to 5°F below normal," storm chaser Colin McCarthy posted on X (formerly Twitter).
He continued: "A buoy near Crescent City reported a water temperature of 46°F yesterday. In waters that cold, hypothermia can occur in as little as 30 minutes. These well below normal water temperatures due to strong upwelling of cold ocean water are enhancing the marine layer or 'natural AC,' keeping coastal areas cool while inland areas experience intense heat (100-108°F in the Central Valley on Saturday)."
Swimming in water temperature that is less than the body's natural core temperature of 98.6 degrees can cause hypothermia, and the process occurs much quicker in cold water. National Weather Service meteorologist Danny Schmiegel told Newsweek that people are generally advised against swimming off the coast of Northern and Central California unless wearing a wetsuit, even when water temperatures are closer to average.
Schmiegel said that winds blowing south from Oregon can cause upwelling, a phenomenon that happens when surface water is pushed farther out to sea and colder water rises to replace it.
"Cold water paralysis is a very big deal here," he said. "It is actually not recommended that people go play on the beaches without a wetsuit."
National Institutes of Health data revealed that 1,330 people in the U.S. die from cold exposure every year.
Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature drops below 95 degrees. Shivering is the first sign of mild hypothermia, but more concerning symptoms can arise if a person doesn't warm their body temperature soon, such as slurred speech, fatigue, confusion, slowed pulse and slowed breathing. If not treated, hypothermia can be fatal.
The cold water also contributes to cooler temperatures in coastal cities. On Friday morning, coastal air temperatures were around 10 degrees cooler than in inland areas.
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