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How Hot Is The Water At The Bottom Of The Ocean?

The temperature of our oceans is controlled by solar radiation. Oceans near the equator receive more sunlight and thus more radiation, which results in warmer water. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this means that the average surface water temperature in the tropics is around 86 degrees Fahrenheit. In contrast, the poles receive much less sunlight, so the water doesn't heat up the same way.

While freshwater freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, water temperature needs to go down to 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit for seawater to freeze. At the poles, any water that has not frozen into ice is likely very close in temperature — around or just under 30 degrees Fahrenheit (via NOAA).

The deepest point in the ocean — and actually on Earth — is the Mariana Trench, which reaches about 36,000 feet. The trench is deeper than Everest is taller, which means if you could place Mount Everest inside the Mariana Trench, its peak would not show up through the top of the ocean. The bottom of the Mariana Trench is so very deep that sunlight doesn't reach it. And total darkness means there's nothing to warm up the water down there, so it gets cold — the average temperature at the bottom is 34–39 degrees Fahrenheit. Not exactly freezing and slightly warmer than the ocean water at the poles, but not by much (per Orbit Inside).

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