California scientists record unprecedented water temperature in Monterey Bay
A temperature of 64.72 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded at a depth of 200 feet, surpassing a 1997 record.
Scientists monitoring the waters off California recorded a temperature of 64.72 degrees Fahrenheit (18.18 degrees Celsius) at a depth of approximately 200 feet on October 26, 2026. According to the Times of India, this measurement is the highest recorded at that depth in nearly 40 years, beating a previous record from the 1997 El Niño event.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) announced the findings on October 29. The temperature rise is considered a clear sign that the 2026-27 El Niño has reached Central California.
MBARI senior scientist Francisco Chavez stated that these readings were over seven degrees Celsius higher than the long-term average for that depth. The warming has also been linked to a sea level increase of about 16 centimetres in the area.
Researchers have observed tropical species in the region, including a rose siphonophore, a winged comb jelly of the Ocyropsis genus, and halfmoon fish. They also found juvenile pelagic red crabs and Humboldt squid, which can expand their range during strong El Niño conditions.
The current event has also seen declining chlorophyll levels and falling nitrate and dissolved carbon dioxide concentrations in the equatorial Pacific. Scientists expect the most significant biological impacts of this El Niño to be visible during spring 2027.