Tropical cyclones usually need sea surface temperatures above 26.5 °C (80 °F) with a depth of 50 meters (160 feet) to survive. But the waters off the California coast are too cold for tropical cyclones, even during the summer. Normally, the waters' temperatures do not get above 17 °C (70 °F), although El Nino effects may peariodicly warm the pacific waters off of the California coastline.