Record global ocean heating has invaded Florida with a vengeance.
Record global ocean heating has invaded Florida with a vengeance.
Water temperatures in the mid-90s (mid-30s Celsius) are threatening delicate coral reefs, depriving swimmers of cooling dips and adding a bit more ick to the Sunshine State’s already oppressive summer weather. Forecasters are warning of temperatures that with humidity will feel like 110 degrees (43 degrees Celsius) by week’s end.
If that’s not enough, Florida is about to get a dose of dust from Africa’s Saharan desert that’s likely to hurt air quality.
The globe is coming off a week of heat not seen in modern measurements, the World Meteorological Organization said Monday, using data from Japan’s weather agency to confirm unofficial records reported nearly daily last week by the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer. Japan reported the global average temperature on Friday was half a degree (0.3 degrees Celsius) warmer than its past record hottest day in August 2016.
Global sea surface temperatures have been record high since April and the North Atlantic has been off-the-charts hot since mid-March, meteorologists report as climate change is linked to more extremeand deadly events.
„We are in uncharted territory and we can expect more records to fall,“ said WMO director of climate services Christopher Hewitt. „This is worrying news for the planet.“
Now it’s Florida’s turn.
Water temperature near Johnson Key came close to 96 degrees (35.6 degrees Celsius) Sunday evening, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration buoy. Another buoy had a reading close to 95 (35 Celsius) near Vaca Key. These are about 5 degrees warmer than normal this time of year, meteorologists said.
„That’s incredible,“ said National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Orrison. „The water is so warm you really can’t cool off.“
While the 95- and 96-degree readings were in shallow waters, „the water temperatures are 90 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit around much of Florida, which is extremely warm,“ said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy.
