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Marine Heat Waves

All articles tagged with #marine heat waves

environment11 days ago•6 min saved

Pacific Ocean's heat wave could rewrite this winter’s weather

A vast Pacific marine heat wave spanning more than eight times the size of the contiguous U.S. and about 13.5% of Earth’s surface formed from a North Pacific anomaly and a growing El Niño. It could reshuffle weather this winter and spring, fueling Typhoon Bavi in the western Pacific and a potential heat dome over the western U.S. this summer, while pushing California coastal seas higher by roughly 6 inches to 2 feet and boosting rainfall and wildfire risk. Linked to the Pacific Meridional Mode and ongoing warming, global ocean heat has surged in recent decades, making extreme weather more likely.

via The Washington Post|

#climate-change #el-nino #environment

environment1 month ago•4 min saved

El Niño arrives with potential for record heat and coastal surprises

El Niño is officially underway and could be among the strongest on record, with a 63% chance of a very strong event from November through January. It’s expected to raise global temperatures, bring drought and heat to the Pacific Northwest, wetter winters to the South, and fuel marine heat waves that disrupt sea life and can shift species ranges along the West Coast; past events have included unusual marine visitors and even declines in plankton, while climate change continues to heighten overall warmth.

via NBC News|

#climate-change #el-nino #environment

environment2 years ago•1 min saved

Unprecedented Dive Uncovers Troubling Secrets of the Ocean's Depths

A study led by researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has revealed that marine heat waves also occur at the seafloor, with deep sea heat waves lasting longer than those at the surface. These heat waves can have devastating effects on ocean ecosystems, disrupting the behaviors and productivity of marine life. The study highlights the need for early recognition and proactive management of marine heat waves, particularly at the ocean bottom where valuable species reside. The frequency of marine heat waves has increased by 50% in the past decade, largely due to the oceans absorbing excess heat from global warming.

via Yahoo News|

#deep-sea #environment #global-warming

environment3 years ago•2 min saved

Newly Discovered Underwater Heat Waves Spark Concern Among Scientists

Researchers have discovered extreme warming along the seafloor of the North American continental shelves, which can compromise critical habitats for commercial species and cause impacts such as the disappearance of near-shore lobster populations, coral bleaching, and declines of reef fish. These temperature anomalies, called bottom marine heat waves, can occur with little or no evidence of warming at the surface and have become about 50% more frequent over the past ten years, according to NOAA.

via Yahoo News|

#commercial-fisheries #continental-shelves #ecosystems

environment3 years ago•5 min saved

The Alarming Discovery of Heatwaves at the Bottom of the Ocean

The first broad assessment of bottom marine heat waves in the productive continental shelf waters surrounding North America has been generated by a team led by NOAA researchers. Marine heat waves have a significant impact on ocean ecosystems globally, disrupting the productivity and distribution of organisms, from plankton to whales. Most of that research has focused on temperature extremes at the ocean’s surface, for which there are many more high-quality observations taken by satellites, ships, and buoys. Due to the relative scarcity of bottom-water temperature datasets, the scientists used a data product called “reanalysis” to conduct the assessment, which starts with available observations and employs computer models that simulate ocean currents and the influence of the atmosphere to “fill in the blanks.”

via SciTechDaily|

#climate-change #continental-shelves #environment

environment3 years ago•5 min saved

Deep Ocean Heat Waves Impact Carbon Storage.

NOAA researchers have identified marine heat waves at the bottom of the ocean, which can have larger warming signals than surface waters and persist longer. These events can occur simultaneously with surface marine heat waves, but can also occur with little or no evidence of warming at the surface, which has important implications for the management of commercially important fisheries. The authors say it will be important to maintain existing continental shelf monitoring systems and to develop new real-time monitoring capabilities to alert marine resource managers to bottom warming conditions.

via Phys.org|

#climate-change #continental-shelf #environment