Near-bottom cross-shelf heat flux along central Florida's Atlantic shelf break: winter months

Near-bottom current and temperature data from a 154-day period in winter 1984–1985 are combined to investigate cross-shelf heat fluxes along central Florida's Atlantic coast between. Temperature and current time series recorded at the shelf break exhibit considerable variability over time scales of the order of 1–2 weeks. Low-frequency temperature fluctuations, superimposed onto a seasonal cooling, decrease from south to north. Cross-shelf motion results in little net displacement but results in considerable net shoreward displacement. Cross-shelf heat flux is shoreward at all study sites, but values decrease approximately linearly from south to north. The study shows that a shoreward flux of relatively cool water can continue through winter months in the vicinity of Cape Canaveral.