[Coral-List] Eastern Caribbean reef heat stress continues

[Mark Eakin]

Caribbean Update:

    http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhwwnc.gif

Our Degree Heating Weeks product for Oct 11 continues to show an  
escalation of thermal stress around Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands,  
and the eastern Caribbean.  Record high DHWs at PR & USVI are still  
rising with showing accumulations of 7.6 for southwestern Puerto Rico  
(DHW) and 8.2 for USVI  this week.  Prior to this event, these sites  
had previous record DHWs in 1999 (PR) and 1998 (USVI).

Numerous bleaching reports have come in for both PR and USVI.  Rain  
and cloudy conditions over portions of the Caribbean should provide  
some relief to bleaching stress during much of the upcoming week.   
Please continue to document bleaching and file reports at
     http://www.reefbase.org/input/bleachingreport/index.asp

Current bleaching indices and links to historical data can be found at:
    http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/CB_indices/ 
coral_bleaching_indices.html
where you can also subscribe to the automated bleaching alert system.

regards,
C. Mark Eakin
Coral Reef Watch


------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
------------------------
C. Mark Eakin, Ph.D.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Center for Satellite Applications and Research
Satellite Oceanography & Climate Division
e-mail: mark.eakin at noaa.gov
url: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

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