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Mid-Atlantic Canyons SST chart

Satellite data from

The Mid-Atlantic from Atlantic City south past Cape May, the Delaware beaches and Ocean City, Maryland to Chincoteague, and offshore to the Wilmington, Poor Man's, Baltimore, Washington and Norfolk canyons on the shelf edge.

Satellite sea surface temperature chart for Mid-Atlantic, October 16, 2026, with contour lines
Sea surface temperature for Mid-Atlantic, October 16, 2026. Colour scale 65–83°F, fitted to today's water. Covers 37.0°N to 39.8°N and 75.6°W to 71.6°W. Source: MUR SST 0.01deg + GSHHS coastline.

Today’s read

Satellite water temperature,

Coldest
65.1°F
Median
70.4°F
Warmest
83.4°F
Water with data
100%

The median surface temperature is down 0.4°F from 7 days ago.

Buoy and shore station water temperature
StationWaterObserved
Bethany Beach, DE (44084)64.0°F
Barnegat, NJ (44091)64.0°F
Atlantic City, NJ (ACYN4)61.5°F
Ocean City Inlet, MD (OCIM2)60.4°F
Cape May, NJ (CMAN4)61.7°F

Foundation SST from JPL MUR 0.01° for 2026-10-16 over the open water in this view; 7-day change compares the median with 2026-10-09.

On this chart: Ocean City (MD), Cape May, Atlantic City, Baltimore Canyon, Washington Canyon, Wilmington Canyon, Poor Man's Canyon, Norfolk Canyon, Indian River Inlet, Lewes and Chincoteague.

How to read today’s Mid-Atlantic chart

Hunt the break, not the colour. A sharp line where warm and cool water collide in half a mile is worth far more than a gradient that fades over ten. The contour lines above trace each temperature exactly, so you can see where a given isotherm runs and where it bends.

Today's chart is scaled 65–83°F, fitted to the water in this box today, so the whole colour ramp covers the temperatures actually here and subtle breaks stay visible. The range changes day to day and box to box — compare colours within one chart, and use the contour lines for exact temperatures.

Pair it with chlorophyll

Temperature shows you the seam. Chlorophyll shows you whether there is anything to eat on it. See today’s Mid-Atlantic chlorophyll chart →

Frequently asked

How often does the Mid-Atlantic SST chart update?

The image is regenerated twice a day from the latest MUR 1km satellite analysis in the Catalysst app. The analysis itself is daily, so the date moves forward about once a day — and the date shown is the date of the satellite data, not the date the page was built.

What area does the Mid-Atlantic SST chart cover?

From 37.0°N to 39.8°N and 75.6°W to 71.6°W. Ports and landmarks on it include Ocean City (MD), Cape May, Atlantic City, Baltimore Canyon, Washington Canyon, Wilmington Canyon, Poor Man's Canyon, Norfolk Canyon, Indian River Inlet, Lewes and Chincoteague.

What are the lines drawn over the colours?

Isotherms — contour lines that trace one exact temperature each. Colour alone makes a break hard to pinpoint; the lines show you precisely where a given temperature runs and how it bends around structure.

Why do some areas of the chart look soft?

Cloud. Infrared satellites cannot see through it, so under cloud the daily analysis leans on coarser microwave data and fine breaks blur. In the app, use the 1-day window to find a live break and the 3- and 7-day windows to confirm it is holding.

This chart, live and zoomable

1-, 3- and 7-day windows, contour lines, and the working fleet on the same map. 7-day free trial.

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