A comprehensive study of the central Southern California Bight shows that subtidal currents are dominated by relatively long time scales (10--25 days), large alongshore scales, and significant offshore and upward phase propagation. A one-dimensional model shows that observed fluctuating, poleward propagating (speeds 140--260 cm s-1) alongshore pressure gradient disturbances account for a much larger fraction of the alongshore velocity variance than local wind stress (at least 40% in both seasons) and have the longer periods of the dominant currents. With the addition of local wind stress, about half the velocity variance can be accounted for, and overall, about 5% more variance in spring than in summer. Results are consistent with generation of disturbances by remote wind stress several hundred kilometers equatorward of the bight and alongcoast propagation as low-mode coastally trapped waves. The large-scale remote forcing is also responsible for much of the velocity variance on the adjacent shelf, the semienclosed Santa Monica Bay. A nonlinear, three-dimensional model shows that water is pushed into the bay initially as part of a throughflow, later becoming an eddy that gradually fills the bay, producing counterflow on its shoreward side. On the shelf, local alongshore wind stress accounts for only 25% of the velocity variance in spring and none in summer. The large-scale disturbances also produce significant temperature fluctuations throughout the region, via lateral advection of the mean alongshore temperature gradient. Local wind-driven coastal upwelling is responsible for temperature fluctuations on the inner shelf during several 2--4 day events in spring, but only very near the coastal wall.