Seasonal and diurnal variability of thermal structure in the coastal waters off Visakhapatnam has been examined in relation to the flow field and surface winds utilizing the hourly data of temperature and currents taken at a fixed location over a tidal cycle at monthly intervals. The coastal currents in the pre-monsoon period and strong near-surface winter cooling processes affect the thermal structure of the coastal sea. Upwelling which is predominant during March to May with an intermittent relaxing event helps in the development of a strong layered thermal structure while convective mixing due to winter inversions during November to February causes weak thermal gradients in the water column.

Physical and chemical characteristics of the Hooghly estuary during winter (December 1997–January 1998), summer (May 1998) and post-monsoon (November 1998) seasons have been studied. Salinity varied spatially and temporally and seasonally during ebb and flood tide conditions. Water temperature showed a difference of 10‡C in winter to summer. Temperature did not vary much vertically as it is a well-mixed estuary. Strong currents exceeding 100 cm S^-1 were observed during peak ebb and flood tide conditions irrespective of the season. Longitudinal eddy diffusion coefficient (K_x) was estimated as 757m S^-1 and 811m² S^-1 during summer and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. The vertical eddy diffusion coefficient (ε_v) was estimated as 0.0337 m² S^-1 during post-monsoon season. The salinity and current observations are compared with those obtained from models reported earlier. Values of pH, Dissolved Oxygen and Biological Oxygen Demand are within the threshold limits of the estuarine environment. Nutrients show seasonal variation in the estuarine environment. High values (160-2686 mg l^-1) of total suspended matter were noticed both at surface and bottom in the study region showing the impact of fresh water and sediment transportation.