[Coral-List] Gulf of Mexico Region Potential Bleaching Event - "Heads up"

[Gang Liu]

Gulf of Mexico Region Potential Bleaching Event - "Heads up"

This summer has turned out to be a hot summer for the Gulf of Mexico.
Anomalously high water temperatures have been developing in the Gulf
since early July with the intensity of the anomaly increasing over time
over most of the Gulf.
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data/hotspotwnc.gif
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data/hotspotw.8.3.2004.gif
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/climohot.html

The northern and eastern parts of the gulf are experiencing the most
intense thermal stress. These are where the Flower Garden Banks National
Marine Sanctuary and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary are located,
respectively. Coral Reef Watch's satellite monitoring shows that the
accumulated thermal stress has reached up to 3 DHWs in a large area in
the northern gulf around Flower Garden Banks and 4 DHWs in a large area
in the southeastern gulf around Florida Keys.
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhwa.8.3.2004.gif
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_retro.html

The most current satellite sea surface temperature time series at a
pixel near Sombrero Reef, Florida shows the increasing temperature:
http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/current/sst_series_sombrero_cur.html

If these thermal stresses persist, coral bleaching is expected in these
areas.

For more information please visit Coral Reef Watch's satellite bleaching
monitoring website:
http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite

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Any feedback you can provide is useful: both bleaching and 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). Users are
also encouraged to use the NOAA/ReefBase collaborative online bleaching
report form to send input to our bleaching database. The form is
available at http://www.reefbase.org/input/bleachingreport/index.asp

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August 4, 2004

NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
(coralreefwatch.noaa.gov)

=========================================
 Gang Liu, Ph.D.
 Senior Research Scientist/Oceanographer
 (STG, Inc.)
 NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
 NOAA/NESDIS/ORA E/RA31
 SSMC1, #5310
 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
=========================================