Skip to content
seatemperatures.net

Warmest seas in the world

The 16 named seas ranked by their year-round average sea temperature. Built from a decade of daily data across 19,259 coastal locations. The Persian Gulf comes out warmest. The Baltic and Yellow Sea sit at the cool end. Almost everything else is in between.

Warmest sea

Celebes Sea

29.4°C annual mean across 167 coastal points

Mediterranean for context

Mediterranean Sea

19.5°C annual mean across 2,863 coastal points

Coldest sea on this list

Baltic Sea

9.7°C annual mean across 482 coastal points

The ranking

Each row is the mean of every coastal location inside that sea. Click a sea name to jump to its monthly profile and the warmest individual coastal locations inside it.

# Sea Annual mean
1 Celebes Sea 29.4°C
2 Java Sea 29.0°C
3 Bay of Bengal 29.0°C
4 Philippine Sea 28.9°C
5 Caribbean Sea 28.3°C
6 Arabian Sea 28.3°C
7 South China Sea 27.7°C
8 Persian Gulf 27.3°C
9 Red Sea 26.9°C
10 Gulf of Mexico 25.2°C
11 Mediterranean Sea 19.5°C
12 Tasman Sea 18.2°C
13 Black Sea 16.6°C
14 Yellow Sea 14.9°C
15 North Sea 11.4°C
16 Baltic Sea 9.7°C

Live sea temperatures around the world

Today's pin colours show the latest daily reading at every location we track. The warm reds cluster around the tropics and into the marginal seas above the ranking, with the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the warm pockets of the South China Sea standing out.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →
°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Celebes Sea

Annual mean 29.4°C across 167 coastal locations

A deep tropical sea between Borneo, Sulawesi, and the southern Philippines. One of the warmest open basins in our sample.

Celebes Sea monthly average 28.7°C to 29.9°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month May 29.9°C
  • Coldest month February 28.7°C
  • Annual mean 29.4°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the celebes sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Tobelombangi Sulawesi Tengah 30.1°C
2 Teluk Togian Sulawesi Tengah 30.1°C
3 Poso Sulawesi Tengah 30.1°C
4 Donggala Sulawesi Tengah 30.1°C
5 Labuk Bay Sabah 30.1°C
6 Sulawesi 30.0°C
7 Moutong Sulawesi Tengah 30.0°C
8 Palu 30.0°C
9 Muara Kassei Kalimantan Timur 29.9°C
10 Tanjung Birai East Kalimantan 29.9°C

Java Sea

Annual mean 29.0°C across 175 coastal locations

A shallow tropical sea north of Java. Warm year-round and very biodiverse.

Java Sea monthly average 28.2°C to 29.8°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month April 29.8°C
  • Coldest month August 28.2°C
  • Annual mean 29.0°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the java sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Teluk Klumpang Kalimantan Selatan 29.6°C
2 Karang Kleta Jawa Timur 29.5°C
3 Karang Koko Jawa Timur 29.5°C
4 Banjaranyar 29.5°C
5 Pemalang 29.5°C
6 Sungai Tulangbawang Lampung 29.5°C
7 Kalianget 29.4°C
8 Karangmangu 29.4°C
9 Krajan 29.4°C
10 Pesisir 29.4°C

Bay of Bengal

Annual mean 29.0°C across 179 coastal locations

A large tropical bay between India and southeast Asia. Surface stays warm year-round, with monsoon rainfall dominating the seasonal cycle more than temperature.

Bay of Bengal monthly average 27.5°C to 30.3°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month May 30.3°C
  • Coldest month January 27.5°C
  • Annual mean 29.0°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the bay of bengal, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Pulau Beras Basah Kedah 29.9°C
2 Pak Nam Trang Chang Wat Trang 29.8°C
3 Pelabuhan Kuah Kedah 29.8°C
4 Ko Don Ao Nang 29.8°C
5 Ko Koi Noi Satun 29.8°C
6 Langkawi Chang Wat Satun 29.8°C
7 Kuah 29.8°C
8 Langkawi 29.8°C
9 Ko Lela Satun 29.8°C
10 Kantang 29.8°C

Philippine Sea

Annual mean 28.9°C across 955 coastal locations

A large open western Pacific basin east of the Philippines. Year-round warm, with the eastern edge feeding tropical cyclones.

Philippine Sea monthly average 27.4°C to 30.0°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month June 30.0°C
  • Coldest month February 27.4°C
  • Annual mean 28.9°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the philippine sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Alicia Zamboanga Peninsula 29.8°C
2 Olutanga Zamboanga Peninsula 29.8°C
3 Talusan Zamboanga Peninsula 29.8°C
4 Muti Zamboanga Peninsula 29.8°C
5 Malangas Zamboanga Peninsula 29.7°C
6 Margosatubig Zamboanga Peninsula 29.7°C
7 Port Lebak Region XII 29.7°C
8 Malim Zamboanga Peninsula 29.7°C
9 Tabina Zamboanga Peninsula 29.7°C
10 Dimataling Zamboanga Peninsula 29.7°C

Caribbean Sea

Annual mean 28.3°C across 682 coastal locations

A famously warm tourist sea. Annual averages hover just under 28°C across most of it, with the southern Caribbean a touch warmer than the north.

Caribbean Sea monthly average 26.9°C to 29.6°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month September 29.6°C
  • Coldest month February 26.9°C
  • Annual mean 28.3°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the caribbean sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Covenas 29.8°C
2 Tolu 29.6°C
3 La Union-B La Unión 29.5°C
4 Amapala 29.5°C
5 Delmas 73 Ouest Department 29.5°C
6 La Union 29.4°C
7 Léogâne Ouest Department 29.4°C
8 Carrefour 29.3°C
9 Delmas 29.3°C
10 Port-au-Prince 29.3°C

Arabian Sea

Annual mean 28.3°C across 226 coastal locations

The Arabian Sea is the western basin of the Indian Ocean. Its average is pulled higher by warm currents and a tropical latitude band.

Arabian Sea monthly average 25.6°C to 30.1°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month June 30.1°C
  • Coldest month January 25.6°C
  • Annual mean 28.3°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the arabian sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Andrōth Island Kerala 29.3°C
2 Minicoy Lakshadweep 29.3°C
3 Kavaratti Island Lakshadweep 29.3°C
4 Kavaratti Lakshadweep 29.3°C
5 Kadmat Island Lakshadweep 29.3°C
6 Open Stage North Province 29.2°C
7 Ihavandhoo Haa Alif 29.2°C
8 Ihavandu Upper North Province 29.2°C
9 Kavaratti 29.2°C
10 Haa Alifu Atoll 29.2°C

South China Sea

Annual mean 27.7°C across 465 coastal locations

A large tropical sea bounded by Vietnam, the Philippines, Borneo, and southern China. Strong seasonal monsoon effects shape its surface, but its annual mean stays firmly warm.

South China Sea monthly average 24.7°C to 29.6°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month July 29.6°C
  • Coldest month February 24.7°C
  • Annual mean 27.7°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the south china sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Labuk Bay Sabah 30.1°C
2 Muara Kassei Kalimantan Timur 29.9°C
3 Tanjung Birai East Kalimantan 29.9°C
4 Maninili Sulawesi Tengah 29.9°C
5 Kuala Lawas Sarawak 29.9°C
6 Sipitang Sabah 29.9°C
7 Weston Sabah 29.9°C
8 Sungai Sarawak (Pulau Lakei) Sarawak 29.8°C
9 Tanjung Ujong Sapoh Daerah Brunei-Muara 29.8°C
10 Pulau Keraman Labuan Federal Territory 29.8°C

Persian Gulf

Annual mean 27.3°C across 183 coastal locations

The Persian Gulf is shallow, hot, and almost completely enclosed. Summer surface readings push past 33°C and stay there for weeks. It's the warmest sea on Earth by year-round average.

Persian Gulf monthly average 20.2°C to 33.8°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month August 33.8°C
  • Coldest month February 20.2°C
  • Annual mean 27.3°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the persian gulf, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Majis (Sohar) Al Batinah North Governorate 28.8°C
2 Saham Al Batinah North Governorate 28.8°C
3 Shinas Al Batinah North Governorate 28.7°C
4 Khawr Fakkan Sharjah 28.7°C
5 Mina Diba Musandam Governorate 28.7°C
6 Dibā Fujairah 28.7°C
7 Jazireh-ye Sirri Hormozgan Province 28.7°C
8 Al Lima Musandam Governorate 28.6°C
9 Dubai (Al Maktoum Bridge) Dubai 28.6°C
10 Fujairah 28.6°C

Red Sea

Annual mean 26.9°C across 85 coastal locations

Long, narrow, and largely surrounded by desert, the Red Sea runs warm all year. Its southern half sits in the same latitudes as the warmest parts of the Indian Ocean.

Red Sea monthly average 23.6°C to 30.2°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month August 30.2°C
  • Coldest month February 23.6°C
  • Annual mean 26.9°C
  • Months above 20°C 12 of 12

Inside the red sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Al Qunfudhah Makkah Province 30.5°C
2 Jizan 30.4°C
3 Al Birk 30.3°C
4 Mits'iwa Northern Red Sea 30.2°C
5 Massawa 30.1°C
6 Al Luhayyah 30.0°C
7 Dahlac Archipelago 29.9°C
8 Lake Tana 29.9°C
9 Harmil Island Northern Red Sea 29.9°C
10 Aş Şalīf Al Hudaydah Governorate 29.7°C

Gulf of Mexico

Annual mean 25.2°C across 1,172 coastal locations

Shallow, tropical at the south, sub-tropical at the north. Hurricane season feeds on its heat content every summer.

Gulf of Mexico monthly average 19.6°C to 30.1°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month August 30.1°C
  • Coldest month January 19.6°C
  • Annual mean 25.2°C
  • Months above 20°C 10 of 12

Inside the gulf of mexico, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Gun Bay (East End, Public Dock) East End 28.8°C
2 Newlands Barcadere Bodden Town 28.8°C
3 Little Cayman 28.7°C
4 East End 28.7°C
5 Grand Cayman 28.7°C
6 North Side 28.7°C
7 Bodden Town 28.6°C
8 George Town 28.6°C
9 Seven Mile Beach 28.6°C
10 West Bay 28.6°C

Mediterranean Sea

Annual mean 19.5°C across 2,863 coastal locations

The Mediterranean is warm by global standards but cooler than the tropical seas above it. The eastern basin (Cyprus, Lebanon, Egypt) runs warmer than the western basin (Spain, France).

Mediterranean Sea monthly average 14.3°C to 26.1°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month August 26.1°C
  • Coldest month February 14.3°C
  • Annual mean 19.5°C
  • Months above 20°C 5 of 12

Inside the mediterranean sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Jabālyā North Gaza 23.5°C
2 Yafo Tel Aviv District 23.5°C
3 ‘Akko North District 23.5°C
4 El-Arish 23.5°C
5 Djounie Mount Lebanon Governorate 23.4°C
6 Jbaïl Jabal Lubnan 23.4°C
7 Jounie Jabal Lubnan 23.4°C
8 Ra’s Bayrūt Beirut Governorate 23.4°C
9 Ashkelon 23.4°C
10 Ein Bokek 23.4°C

Tasman Sea

Annual mean 18.2°C across 418 coastal locations

Between southeastern Australia and New Zealand. A mid-latitude sea with a strong seasonal swing.

Tasman Sea monthly average 15.6°C to 21.2°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month February 21.2°C
  • Coldest month August 15.6°C
  • Annual mean 18.2°C
  • Months above 20°C 3 of 12

Inside the tasman sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Chinderah New South Wales 24.2°C
2 Coolangatta Queensland 24.2°C
3 Kirra Queensland 24.2°C
4 Tweed Heads New South Wales 24.2°C
5 Nerang River (Bundall) Queensland 24.2°C
6 Broadbeach Queensland 24.0°C
7 Burleigh Heads Queensland 24.0°C
8 Currumbin Queensland 24.0°C
9 Gold Coast Queensland 24.0°C
10 Kingscliff New South Wales 24.0°C

Black Sea

Annual mean 16.6°C across 207 coastal locations

Almost enclosed and unusually layered chemically. Summer surface temperatures can reach the mid-20s on the southern coast; the northern coast freezes in cold winters.

Black Sea monthly average 8.3°C to 26.0°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month August 26.0°C
  • Coldest month February 8.3°C
  • Annual mean 16.6°C
  • Months above 20°C 4 of 12

Inside the black sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Ilyich 18.0°C
2 Sukhumi 18.0°C
3 Arhavi 18.0°C
4 Hopa 18.0°C
5 New Athos 18.0°C
6 Batumi 18.0°C
7 Chakvi 18.0°C
8 Gonio 18.0°C
9 Kobuleti 18.0°C
10 Kvariati 18.0°C

Yellow Sea

Annual mean 14.9°C across 98 coastal locations

Shallow and continental. Winters are cold and summers warm. The seasonal swing here is one of the biggest in the table.

Yellow Sea monthly average 4.7°C to 26.2°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month August 26.2°C
  • Coldest month February 4.7°C
  • Annual mean 14.9°C
  • Months above 20°C 4 of 12

Inside the yellow sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Seogwipo Jeju-do 21.4°C
2 Hwasun Jeju-do 21.1°C
3 Jukdo Jeju-do 20.3°C
4 Udo Sudo Jeju-do 20.3°C
5 Jeju 19.4°C
6 Jejudo 19.4°C
7 Chujado Jeju-do 18.6°C
8 Cheongsando Jeollanam-do 18.0°C
9 Wando Jeollanam-do 18.0°C
10 Soando Jeollanam-do 17.9°C

North Sea

Annual mean 11.4°C across 605 coastal locations

Cool, often grey, and surrounded by some of the most populated coasts in Europe. Annual average sits below 12°C, with brief summer warming above 15°C.

North Sea monthly average 6.5°C to 17.1°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month August 17.1°C
  • Coldest month February 6.5°C
  • Annual mean 11.4°C
  • Months above 20°C 0 of 12

Inside the north sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Gravelines Hauts-de-France 13.3°C
2 Sandettie Bank Kent 13.2°C
3 Dunkerque Hauts-de-France 13.2°C
4 Dymchurch Kent 13.2°C
5 Gillingham Kent 13.1°C
6 Grays Essex 13.1°C
7 Greenhithe Kent 13.1°C
8 Hoo England 13.1°C
9 London England 13.1°C
10 Queenborough Kent 13.1°C

Baltic Sea

Annual mean 9.7°C across 482 coastal locations

Cold and brackish. Surface waters freeze in winter in the northern reaches and rarely cross 18°C anywhere in summer.

Baltic Sea monthly average 2.7°C to 18.1°C
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Warmest month August 18.1°C
  • Coldest month February 2.7°C
  • Annual mean 9.7°C
  • Months above 20°C 0 of 12

Inside the baltic sea, by year-round average

Top warmest coastal locations inside this sea.

# Location Annual mean
1 Schobull 11.3°C
2 Krynica Morska 11.1°C
3 Kaliningradskiy Zaliv 11.1°C
4 Tolkmicko 11.1°C
5 Vistula Lagoon 11.1°C
6 Donskoye Kaliningrad Oblast 11.0°C
7 Yantarnyy Kaliningrad Oblast 11.0°C
8 Heikendorf Schleswig-Holstein 11.0°C
9 Sztutowo 11.0°C
10 Trassenheide Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 11.0°C

Top 50 warmest coastal locations on Earth

Ignore the named-sea buckets and look at the single warmest places we track. Most sit in the equatorial Pacific and the warm pockets of the Indian Ocean.

# Location Annual mean
1 Al Qunfudhah Makkah Province 30.5°C
2 Jizan 30.4°C
3 Al Birk 30.3°C
4 Port Weld Perak 30.2°C
5 Mits'iwa Northern Red Sea 30.2°C
6 Kimbe Bay West New Britain Province 30.2°C
7 Talasea West New Britain Province 30.2°C
8 Tobelombangi Sulawesi Tengah 30.1°C
9 Tavanatangir Harbour East New Britain Province 30.1°C
10 Teluk Togian Sulawesi Tengah 30.1°C
11 Poso Sulawesi Tengah 30.1°C
12 Nabire Papua 30.1°C
13 Massawa 30.1°C
14 Donggala Sulawesi Tengah 30.1°C
15 Kwatisore Papua 30.1°C
16 Eleonora Bay West New Britain Province 30.1°C
17 Pulau-Pulau Moor Papua 30.1°C
18 Labuk Bay Sabah 30.1°C
19 Lumut Pier Perak 30.1°C
20 Kimbe 30.1°C
21 Sulawesi 30.0°C
22 Lumut 30.0°C
23 Soroken Bougainville 30.0°C
24 Al Luhayyah 30.0°C
25 Moutong Sulawesi Tengah 30.0°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Palu 30.0°C
27 Ambitle Island New Ireland Province 30.0°C
28 Anewa Bay Bougainville 30.0°C
29 Carteret Islands 30.0°C
30 Torokina Bougainville 30.0°C
31 Seroei Papua 30.0°C
32 Kapingamarangi 30.0°C
33 Kavieng 30.0°C
34 Butterworth Wharves Pulau Pinang 30.0°C
35 Kuala Selangor 30.0°C
36 Pinang (Georgetown) Pulau Pinang 30.0°C
37 Pulau Rimau Pulau Pinang 30.0°C
38 Tanjung Dawai Kedah 30.0°C
39 Lombrum Manus Province 30.0°C
40 Point Stone Island Manus Province 30.0°C
41 Barus Sumatra Utara 30.0°C
42 Torakina 30.0°C
43 Batu Ferringhi 30.0°C
44 Arawa 30.0°C
45 Kieta 30.0°C
46 Namatanai 30.0°C
47 Wassior Papua Barat 29.9°C
48 Yende Papua Barat 29.9°C
49 Bukit Mertajam 29.9°C
50 Butterworth 29.9°C

How "sea" is defined here

Each named sea is defined by a simple latitude and longitude area. That's deliberately rough, since coastlines are messy and many places sit at the boundary of one sea and another. Where it matters, marginal seas are included with their parent (for example, the Gulf of California sits inside the Pacific). Numbers are simple averages of every coastal point inside the area, weighted equally per location.

Related rankings