Figure 1. Oceanographic zones within the Monterey Bay, Gulf of
the Farallones, and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries.
[View Larger] Local tidal currents and submarine and terrestrial
physical features also influence the area's oceanographic
environment. For example, local outflow from San Francisco Bay
affects the Gulf of the Farallones sanctuary. The calendar year
in northern California waters consists of three general
oceanographic seasons. Although these occur in each sanctuary at
slightly different times (see specific details for Cordell Bank,
Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay), the seasons, as they
pass through each sanctuary, are characterized by the same
phenomena: - the upwelling period, from early spring to summer:
strong southward wind forcing and currents along with cool
surface waters - the relaxation period (or oceanic period), from
late summer to early fall: wind relaxation, warmer water
temperatures and mainly northward surface currents - the winter
storm period (or Davidson Curren