Sea Surface Temperature
Sea surface waters have different temperatures and are distributed according to geographic latitude. This is due to various amounts of heat coming from the Sun. The highest temperatures (+28-29°С) may be distinctly observed on the equator with temperature lowering as approaching the poles. The proximity of cold Antarctica influences the speed of temperature decrease. Temperatures drop much faster to the south than to the north.
Sea water temperatures are also considerably affected by currents. Warm currents carry waters from the equator towards temperate latitudes. This factor favors more even distribution of temperatures in all water masses.
The average temperature of the World Ocean surface waters is 17.5°С. At that, the highest surface water temperature is measured in the Pacific Ocean (19.4°С), whereas the lowest one is in the Arctic Ocean (slightly higher than 1°С).