Editing Satellite Beach, Florida (section)

==Geography==

Satellite Beach is located at {{Coord|28|10|24|N|80|35|48|W|type:city}} (28.173441, –80.596674).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|11.1|km2|disp=flip}}. {{convert|7.6|km2|disp=flip}} of it is land and {{convert|3.5|km2|disp=flip}} of it (31.94%) is water.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Satellite Beach city, Florida |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 30, 2012 }}</ref>

The [[Atlantic Ocean]] forms its eastern border; the [[Indian River (Florida)|Indian River]] the western border. It is located on the local [[barrier island]] directly south of [[Patrick Space Force Base]]. It is part of the [[South Beaches]].

With both ocean and river frontage, the city is the largest beachside community in South Brevard County.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/floridatoday/access/1750717681.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:FT&type=current&date=Dec+29%2C+2006&author=&pub=Florida+Today&desc=Nautical+notes&pqatl=google | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107205741/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/floridatoday/access/1750717681.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:FT&type=current&date=Dec+29,+2006&author=&pub=Florida+Today&desc=Nautical+notes&pqatl=google | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 7, 2012 | work=Florida Today | title=Nautical notes | date=29 December 2006}}</ref> There are {{convert|7.7|miles}} of shoreline in the city, including {{convert|2.8|miles}} of Atlantic Ocean beach, {{convert|1.3|miles}} of Banana River shoreline, and {{convert|3.6|miles}} of shoreline fronting navigable canals connected to the Banana River.<ref name="satellitebeachfl1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.satellitebeachfl.org/Documents/BUDGET%20-%20Annual%20FY%2013-14%20Final%2009-18-13.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-12-09 |archive-date=2013-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213141230/http://www.satellitebeachfl.org/Documents/BUDGET%20-%20Annual%20FY%2013-14%20Final%2009-18-13.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Climate===

Satellite Beach is located in the region where tropical and temperate climatic zones overlap. A study commissioned by NASA<ref>published in June 2000 (Wind and Flood Hazard Assessment of Critical NASA Assets at the Kennedy Space Center)</ref> lends credence to the perception that Satellite Beach is located in a portion of the North American Atlantic shoreline with a reduced incidence of catastrophic hurricanes.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |title=SATELLITE BEACH, FLORIDA "WHERE PROGRESS PREVAILS" |url=http://www.satellitebeach.org/06%2520FEB%2520History.doc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060830015415/http://www.satellitebeach.org/06%20FEB%20History.doc |archive-date=August 30, 2006 |website=www.satellitebeach.org}}</ref> Extremes range from {{convert|24|F}} on December 24, 1989<ref>{{Cite web|title = December Weather for Cocoa Beach, FL {{!}} Weather Underground|url = http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KCOF/1989/12/15/MonthlyCalendar.html?req_city=Patrick%2520Air%2520Force%2520Base&req_state=FL&req_statename=&reqdb.zip=32925&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=99999|website = www.wunderground.com|access-date = 2015-12-15}}</ref> to {{convert|99|F}} on July 15, 1981.<ref>{{Cite web|title = July Weather for Cocoa Beach, FL {{!}} Weather Underground|url = http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KCOF/1981/7/15/MonthlyCalendar.html?req_city=Patrick%2520Air%2520Force%2520Base&req_state=FL&req_statename=&reqdb.zip=32925&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=99999|website = www.wunderground.com|access-date = 2015-12-15}}</ref>

{{weather box
|width = auto
|single line= = yes
|location = Satellite Beach (1987–2018 normals, extremes 1945–present)
|Jan record high F=86
|Feb record high F=88
|Mar record high F=93
|Apr record high F=96
|May record high F=96
|Jun record high F=98
|Jul record high F=99
|Aug record high F=98
|Sep record high F=95
|Oct record high F=93
|Nov record high F=90
|Dec record high F=87
<!-- Average high temperatures -->
|Jan high F=70
|Feb high F=71
|Mar high F=75
|Apr high F=79
|May high F=82
|Jun high F=86
|Jul high F=87
|Aug high F=88
|Sep high F=87
|Oct high F=82
|Nov high F=77
|Dec high F=72
|Jan mean F = 63
|Feb mean F = 65
|Mar mean F = 68
|Apr mean F = 73
|May mean F = 77
|Jun mean F = 80
|Jul mean F = 82
|Aug mean F = 82
|Sep mean F = 82
|Oct mean F = 77
|Nov mean F = 71
|Dec mean F = 66
|year mean F = 
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
|Jan low F=57
|Feb low F=58
|Mar low F=62
|Apr low F=67
|May low F=72
|Jun low F=75
|Jul low F=77
|Aug low F=77
|Sep low F=77
|Oct low F=73
|Nov low F=66
|Dec low F=60
<!-- Record low temperatures -->
|Jan record low F=25
|Feb record low F=32
|Mar record low F=29
|Apr record low F=46
|May record low F=53
|Jun record low F=66
|Jul record low F=67
|Aug record low F=68
|Sep record low F=66
|Oct record low F=49
|Nov record low F=33
|Dec record low F=24
|Jan avg record low F = 40
|Feb avg record low F = 43
|Mar avg record low F = 48
|Apr avg record low F = 56
|May avg record low F = 65
|Jun avg record low F = 70
|Jul avg record low F = 72
|Aug avg record low F = 73
|Sep avg record low F = 72
|Oct avg record low F = 59
|Nov avg record low F = 50
|Dec avg record low F = 44
|year avg record low F= 36
<!-- Average precipitation -->
|precipitation colour= green
|Jan precipitation inch=1.80
|Feb precipitation inch=1.63
|Mar precipitation inch=1.53
|Apr precipitation inch=1.60
|May precipitation inch=2.51
|Jun precipitation inch=4.93
|Jul precipitation inch=4.55
|Aug precipitation inch=3.90
|Sep precipitation inch=5.19
|Oct precipitation inch=3.12
|Nov precipitation inch=1.86
|Dec precipitation inch=1.58
| source = Weather Underground<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wunderground.com/weather-forecast/zmw:32925.1.99999|title=Patrick AFB, FL - 70.3° - Clear|work=wunderground.com|access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref>
}}

===Fauna===

[[File:Green-sea-turtle.jpg|thumb|left|229x229px|Green sea turtle]]
Threatened Atlantic [[loggerhead sea turtle]]s nest on the city's ocean beaches at densities of approximately one nest per {{convert|10|ft}} of shoreline per year. Endangered [[green sea turtle]]s also deposit nests along the city's ocean beach each year.

Endangered [[North Atlantic right whale]]s calve off the city's shoreline. Endangered [[West Indian manatee]]s frequent the city's canals and the [[Banana River]]. [[Bald eagle]]s forage over Samsons Island.
[[File:Wild Bald Eagle Ocean.jpg|thumb|right|190x190px|Wild bald eagle]]
[[File:Scrub Jay posing.jpg|thumb|right|180x180px|Scrub jay]]
The {{Convert|12|acre}} of wetland created as mitigation by a local developer on Samsons Island provide nutrient-rich, sheltered aquatic habitat serving as [[Wiktionary:finfish|finfish]] nursery and feeding ground for a diverse assemblage of birds and mammals. The city established Samsons Island Nature Park, the only [[gopher tortoise]] relocation recipient site on the barrier island.  It is occupied by 42 relocated tortoises and three which had been living on the island when development began.  The city has erected five [[osprey]] nesting platforms on Samsons Island Nature Park, from which young have been fledged.

Efforts are now under way to create habitat for use by gopher tortoises and [[Florida scrub jay|scrub jays]]. [[Xeric]] scrub around the local county library, until the late 1990s, hosted a family of threatened [[Florida scrub jay]]s.

The city is working with faculty of the [[Florida Institute of Technology]] to promote graduate student research and class projects on Samsons Island Nature Park and to assist in devising and implementing maintenance programs to preserve and enhance desirable wildlife habitats.<ref name="satellitebeach.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.satellitebeach.org/boards/cpab/CompPlan/D&A%205%20Coastal%20Management-Conservation%20Element.doc |access-date=August 3, 2015 |title=Coastal Management-Conservation Element }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The city has approved the use of inland dirt-officially called upland sources-to be used in [[beach nourishment]] projects. These projects will bury part of a natural reef.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2018/06/11/brevard-gets-new-beach-funding/691822002/|title=Feds sign off on $35 million for Brevard's beaches|first=Jim|last=Waymer|website=Florida Today}}</ref> After three projects, the sea shells are gone, and turtle nesting declined significantly in the years following this nourishment.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://destinationbrevard.com/mid-reachpatrick-afb-to-indialantic-beach-nourishment-is-very-harmful-to-sea-turtle-nesting/ |title=Mid-Reach (Patrick AFB to Indialantic) beach nourishment is very harmful to sea turtle nesting. |access-date=2019-07-19 |archive-date=2019-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719004213/https://destinationbrevard.com/mid-reachpatrick-afb-to-indialantic-beach-nourishment-is-very-harmful-to-sea-turtle-nesting/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Flora===

[[File:NC AtlanticBeach seaoats.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Sea oats]]
Due to the moderating influence of surrounding water bodies, the climate on the barrier island supports tropical species of plants normally found far to the south.  Brevard County's barrier island to, approximately, [[Cape Canaveral]], constitutes the northernmost limit of the range of many of these plant species.  At the same time, the infrequency and mildness of freezes in the [[Central Florida]] region serves to define the southern limit of many plants found in temperate zones.<ref name="satellitebeach.org"/><ref name="ReferenceA"/> Vegetated sand [[dune]]s are found along most of the beach's length and provide the major defense against storm events. Native plant species found on the dunes include [[sea oats]], [[Sabal palmetto]], [[Coccoloba uvifera|sea grape]], [[railroad vine]], [[Hydrocotyle umbellata|dollar weed]], [[coral bean]], [[Yucca schidigera|Spanish bayonet]], [[wax myrtle]], [[yaupon holly]], and several grass species. More salt-tolerant and wind-tolerant species, such as sea oats and railroad vine, are found predominantly on the ocean side of the dune, while other dune vegetation species do not generally show such zonation.  These plants assist in building the dune by trapping windblown sand and in stabilizing the dune with extensive lateral root systems.<ref name="satellitebeach.org"/>

===Geology===

There are approximately {{convert|10|acre}} of [[coquina]] rock outcrops frequently exposed along the low-tide line of the city's ocean beach. The [[National Marine Fisheries Service]] has classified the rock as an Essential Fish Habitat-Habitat Area of Particular Concern. It is important to aquatic life and found only in a few locations along the [[East Coast of the United States|Eastern seaboard]].

On the city's ocean beach can be found fossil Atlantic [[ghost crab]]s, the remnants of a unique set of geological circumstances which preserved these creatures when they died in their burrows perhaps about 110,000 years ago.

There are significant deposits of sand, [[marl]], coquina and possibly [[phosphate]] within the city limits.<ref name="satellitebeach.org"/>

===Surrounding areas===

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Satellite Beach, Florida
|North     = [[South Patrick Shores, Florida|South Patrick Shores]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Atlantic Ocean]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Indian Harbour Beach, Florida|Indian Harbour Beach]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Banana River]]; [[Merritt Island, Florida|Merritt Island]]; [[Tropic, Florida|Tropic]]
|Northwest =
}}