According to the WMO, the peak three month average water surface temperatures in tropical Pacific are expected to exceed 2C above normal. (bbc.com)
While using NOAA data and I look at the current cold and blustery weather across the Great Lakes, I find regions of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan with water surface temperatures of 50 F. Regions of Lake Superior water temperatures of 44 F. (judithcurry.com)
This year, the event will benefit from an unseasonably warm winter, with satellite data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationplacing the average water surface temperature around Coney Island in December at about 48 degrees Fahrenheit (8.9 degrees Celsius). (scientificamerican.com)