Kuwait Bleaching

Al Strong astrong at nesdis.noaa.gov
Wed Sep 20 09:49:43 EDT 2000


Coral-listers -
>From the NOAA Coral Reef Bleaching Indices page:
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_news.html

The link to :
Oman - Muscat
23.7N, 58.6E   shows:
12wk accum today  9.7
Max 12wk*            16 (98)
Current temp (C)     27.5
Exp. max temp**     30.1

The 12wk DHWs:
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw12week.east.gif

shows DHWs of 9 to 10 in much of the Persian Gulf/Arabian Sea!

These levels were seen in 1999 at this time as well:
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/icg/ehet.s71999.e91999.gif

...and the maximum accumulation  at "Oman-Muscat" for the recent 10 years
occurred in 1998:  DHW = 16! (based on satellite SSTs)

Fortunately
SSTs have cooled considerably at this time at Oman - Muscat.
We see 27.5C from our satellite data...some 3 degrees C  BELOW  the critical

HotSpot threshold (30.1degC + 1degC = 31.1degC) that brought on this most
recent
bout of bleaching.

AES


**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *******
Alan E. Strong
Phys Scientist/Oceanographer
  NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3
  NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W
  5200 Auth Road
  Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304
        Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
             301-763-8102 x170
      FAX: 301-763-8108
  http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad




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