The water temperature in South Florida reached triple digits – hot tub levels – for two consecutive days. Meteorologists believe it could be the hottest sea water ever recorded, although some doubts about the reading remain.
Scientists are already seeing devastating effects from the warm waters around Florida, such as the death of some corals in one of the most resilient reefs of the Florida Keys. The warmer water is also fuel for hurricanes.
The buoy measuring the temperature in Manatee Bay hit 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit (38.4 degrees Celsius) on Monday night (24), according to National Weather Service meteorologist George Rizzuto. The night before, that same buoy showed an online reading of 100.2 F (37.9 C).
If confirmed, Monday’s reading would be nearly 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the previous record, set in the waters off Kuwait three summers ago at 99.7 degrees Fahrenheit (37.6 degrees Celsius).
The consequences for marine corals are severe. NOAA researcher Andrew Ibarra noted that the entire reef in the area was bleached. “Every coral colony exhibited some form of paleness, partial bleaching, or total bleaching,” he said.
Until the 1980s, coral bleaching was virtually unheard of. Bleaching – which does not kill the coral but weakens it and can eventually lead to death – occurs when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees (30 degrees Celsius).
Water temperatures in South Florida have been in the 90s for over two weeks.
Sea surface temperatures worldwide broke monthly heat records in April, May, and June, according to NOAA. And temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean are off the charts – up to 9 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit (5 to 6 degrees Celsius) warmer than normal in some spots near Newfoundland.
Source: AP