[Coral-List] Potential for Bleaching Growing around Florida, Cuba, and Bahamas

[Elizabeth Brill]

Hi Mark,

You asked for comments from out and about. . . .

I've just spent three and a half weeks out on San Salvador in the  
Bahamas snorkelling and diving, primarily off the west coast.  We saw  
virtually no bleaching.  Just a couple of stray colonies.

Keep swimming!
Elizabeth


 >)))'>

Elizabeth R. Brill
10481 South Road
Corning, New York  14830-3200
elizabeth at beadsofglass.com
www.beadsofglass.com



On Jul 16, 2007, at 12:01 PM, Mark Eakin wrote:

> Since last Wednesday, 11 July, our Sombrero Reef virtual station has
> been in Bleaching Warning status (http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/
> satellite/current/sst_series_sombrero_cur.html).  That pixel is
> actually on the Bay side of the Keys because of the influence that
> warm, often hypersaline, waters have on the reef tract in that area.
> The rise in temperatures agrees with on site observations from
> scientists including Libby Johns who reported high water temperatures
> and salinities near Looe Key.  This agrees with NOAA's Integrated
> Coral Observing Network (ICON) data from Sombrero Reef and other
> Florida Keys sites.  Current temperatures at the Sombrero Reef
> SEAKEYS station (SMKF1) are the highest since 2005.  The Florida Bay
> region and eastern Gulf of Mexico are currently experiencing doldrum
> conditions that may be contributing to the warm, hypersaline waters.
>
> Looking at the experimental Florida Reef Tract page or our Google
> Earth data, it is clear that all of the waters around the Florida
> reef areas are at least under a Bleaching Watch.  The Sombrero Reef
> virtual station (Florida Reef pixel #2) is the only pixel that has
> reached Bleaching Warning in the area.
>
> Our virtual station in Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas has been showing
> positive Coral Bleaching HotSpot values (Watch or Warning status)
> since late June.
>
> Please note that we have not yet issued a bleaching alert, as the
> Degree Heating Weeks value for Sombrero Reef is only at 1.3.  An
> alert will be issued if the temperature reaches 4.0.
>
> We would appreciate any information on bleaching from the area.
>
>
> Coral Reef Watch Resources:
> Experimental Florida Reef Tract page (http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/
> satellite/current_exp/timeseries_floridakeys.html)
> Google Earth data (http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/ge/
> index.html)
> Experimental Doldrums Product: http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/
> satellite/doldrums_v2/
>
> Our 24 index sites around the globe can be found at:
> http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/CB_indices/
> coral_bleaching_indices.html
>
> Current HotSpot and Degree Heating Week charts, HDF data, and
> GoogleEarth products can be found at:
> http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/index.html
>
> NOAA's Integrated Coral Observing Network (ICON) for the Caribbean
> http://ecoforecast.coral.noaa.gov/index/0//caribbean-home
>
> Please reporting any bleaching events (or non-events) at
> http://www.reefbase.org/input/bleachingreport/index.asp
>
> Cheers,
> Mark
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> --
> ------------------------
> C. Mark Eakin, Ph.D.
> Coordinator, 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 5308
> 1335 East West Highway
> Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226
> 301-713-2857 x109                   Fax: 301-713-3136
>
>
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