[Coral-List] Coral Bleaching Warning for U.S. Virgin Island

[Gang Liu]

Coral Bleaching Warning for U.S. Virgin Island
------------------------------------------------

A coral bleaching "heads-up" was issued by us (CRW) in early September
for U.S. Virgin Island when the Sea Surface

Temperature (SST) at U.S. Virgin Island was approaching the bleaching
threshold. Now we see that the thermal stress has continued to develop
in the region.

This event of anomalously high SSTs has been developing over a large
area of the North Atlantic Ocean since July and then over much of the
eastern Caribbean Sea.
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/climohot.html

Since early September, SST at U.S. Virgin Island has been close to the
level of the bleaching threshold
(http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/sub/sst_series_virgin_cur.html)
and Degree Heating Week (DHW) values at U.S. Virgin Island is now
reaching 2.0
(http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhww.9.27.2003.gif).

Bleaching is most likely already present at U.S. Virgin Island. Even
higher DHW values (4 to 6) appear in the area to the south and southeast
of U.S. Virgin Islands (from the Windward Islands to Trinidad and
Tobago) and more severe bleaching is expected in that area.


Any feedback you can provide is useful: both bleaching or non-bleaching
observations, are welcome. Please send the feedback to Alan Strong
(Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov) and/or Gang Liu (Gang.Liu at noaa.gov)


Coral Reef Watch Project
http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/coral_bleaching_index.html

September 29, 2003



--
=========================================
 Gang Liu, Ph.D.
 Senior Research Scientist/Oceanographer
 (Decision Systems Technologies, Inc.)
 NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
 NOAA/NESDIS/ORA E/RA31
 SSMC1, #5307
 1335 East-West Highway
 Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226

 Tel: 301-713-9386 ext 131
 Fax: 301-713-3136
 Email: Gang.Liu at noaa.gov
=========================================