[Coral-List] Update on Caribbean Bleaching Event
Mark Eakin
Mark.Eakin at noaa.gov
Tue Oct 25 10:11:17 EDT 2005
Above normal temperatures are continuing throughout much of the
Caribbean. Temperatures at our index site in the US Virgin Islands
continue at 0.9 degree C over maximum monthly mean, while those off
the Puerto Rico site are 0.4 degrees over.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch Satellite Bleaching products (HotSpot and
Degree Heating Week charts) for the Caribbean show that warming has
now moved southward along the Antilles, with a strong likelihood of
intensified bleaching. DHW values are now exceeding 12 along much of
that area.
These satellite data also indicate warming along the northern coast
of South America. We have not seen any reports of bleaching in the
Netherland Antilles this year, but the southward movement of warm
water has now made bleaching more likely. DHWs are exceeding 4 in
much of that area.
Current HotSpot and Degree Heating Week charts can be found at:
http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/index.html
Please continue reporting bleaching events (or non-events) at http://
www.reefbase.org/input/bleachingreport/index.asp
Quantitative reports on bleaching from this event so far include US
shelf waters (Flower Garden Banks, Florida Keys, southeastern
Florida), Bahamas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin
Islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Columbia, Panama,
Belize, and Mexico.
Cheers,
Mark
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------
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
E/RA31, SSMC1, Room 5306
1335 East West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226
301-713-2857 x109 Fax: 301-713-3136
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