![]() ![]() “We know that extreme heat can be destructive and deadly for marine systems,” said Lauren Gaches, director of public affairs for NOAA Fisheries, in an email. It’s yet another blow to a delicate ecosystem already reeling from invasive species and disease. Like heat waves on land, marine heat waves are usually defined as temperatures above the 90th percentile of the historical range in a given region. The world’s oceans have been unusually warm this year, and the Atlantic Ocean in particular has reached record high temperatures for this time of summer. The Caribbean Sea is facing a record heat wave. Ocean Prediction Center/NOAAĬonnected bodies of water, like the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, are also experiencing extreme heat. ![]() Fueled by rising average temperatures, colliding weather cycles, and a strong El Niño, Caribbean waters have reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit, more than two degrees Fahrenheit above the average for this time of year. These are the hottest temperatures in at least a century. National Centers for Environmental Information/NOAA The Caribbean Sea just had its hottest June on record. It might seem like a small bit of warming, but it may have global consequences. Scientists pay close attention to sea surface temperatures because that’s where the water meets the sky. It governs evaporation, which in turn shapes air currents and rainfall. ![]()
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