Spring has sprung. Monday was the first full day of spring in the northern hemisphere. More sunlight means warmer temperatures will soon follow. But, the gulf actually lags behind. National Weather Service Forecaster Tom Dockerty says when spring days turn hot inland – the beaches can provide respite.

“Even though it can be warmer like right now with temperatures in the seventies and eighties, water in the Gulf of Mexico right now is still down in the and 60’s. When you get along the coast or the intra-coastal waterways and get a little bit of breeze off the water at this time of the year even though it’s warm it's still cool at the beaches.

By mid summer, the impact of long days will have warmed the water in the Gulf considerably ---into the upper eighties. The warm Gulf waters help fuel hurricanes. Hurricane Season begins June 1st.