California MOCI

(Multivariate Ocean Climate Indicator) 

MOCI is a 30-year long indicator that synthesizes a number of local and regional ocean and atmospheric conditions that represent, in a holistic manner, the state of the California coastal ocean.  MOCI includes data that is readily available from the Internet so the indicator can be updated and shared regularly via this website.

MOCI captures ENSO events across decades, as well as the intensity and phasing of the most recent North Pacific marine heat wave, dubbed 'The Blob'. It also shows differences in the magnitude and timing of ocean climate variability in different regions off California. MOCI has skill relative to marine ecosystem dynamics from zooplankton to top predators, and therefore may be important to ecosystem-based fisheries and wildlife management. 

Last season’s MOCI (spring 2024) values went down dramatically in Southern and Northern California and also declined in Central California. The Southern California value is now anomalously negative. To access the current MOCI data (April-June, 2024), click below.

**Nov 2024: Due to Hurricane Helene's impact on NOAA NCEI (Asheville, NC), MOCI will be delayed until several data sources are back online. We will update MOCI as soon as the data becomes available.