Potential world record: Ocean temperature in South Florida exceeded 100 degrees
MANATHI BAY, Florida. – The water around South Florida was record hot for this time of year, but high temperatures may have just reached new heights.
Buoy in Manatee Bay in the Upper Keys. On July 24, an amazing temperature of 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded.
This would unofficially beat the world record of 99.68 degrees set in the Persian Gulf.
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Manati Bay water temperature
The day before, the same buoy recorded a water temperature of 100.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
For perspective, a typical hot tub range is 100-104 degrees Fahrenheit.
The temperature is recorded about five feet below mean low low water.
Such records of water temperature are not kept as records of air temperature, but are considered The world record of 99.68 degrees is set in Kuwait Bay. The Persian Gulf is recognized as one of the hottest bodies of water in the world.
This temperature will likely have to go through an extensive verification process before being confirmed as official.
Several other buoys recorded water temperatures in the upper 90s for the same period. Johnson Key recorded a temperature of 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday.
Johnson Key temperature data
The water is so hot in South Florida and around the Florida Keys due to a number of likely factors. The overall weather pattern was atypical for Florida, with light winds preventing deeper, cooler water from rising to the surface.
It was a very hot and sunny summer, causing the ocean to warm up quickly.
Until recently, the dust of the Sahara across the Atlantic was also lacking. The aerosols in dust help reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere.
Record warm water in the Florida Keys and around South Florida has been recorded. threatens Florida’s coral reefs for weeks.
Scientists have already recorded coral bleaching. a process that essentially depletes corals.
Coral bleaching has recently been upgraded to Alert Level 2 around the Florida Keys, meaning severe bleaching and significant mortality are now likely.
Bleach warning levels and water temperature
It was an upgrade from bleaching hazard level one just two weeks ago.
“Bleached coral is essentially starving to death because it has lost its main food source, symbiont algae,” he said. Dr. Derek Manzello, coordinator Coral Reef Watch NOAA program. “The damage that corals experience from marine heatwaves depends on the length or duration of heat stress, as well as the magnitude of the heat stress anomaly.”
According to Manzello, typical discoloration lasts about 4-6 weeks.
During previous large-scale bleaching events, most recently in the Florida Keys, sea surface temperatures at bleaching levels were not observed until mid-August.
“Thus, we are a whole month ahead of the usual “bleaching season”. This means that unless a significant cooling event occurs, such as a re-passage of hurricanes or tropical storms, Florida Keys corals could be under thermal stress for more than three consecutive months, which would be unprecedented,” Manzello said.
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