[Coral-List] Scientists Issue Second Coral Warning Due to HighCaribbean Sea Temperatures

[Alan E. Strong]

Hi Alina,

Mat got that "difference" recorded incorrectly it seems in his news
release....I told him present SSTs were 0.1 deg C above the
climatological maximum for the year...certainly not 3 deg C!!...a typo??

Cheers,
Al

Szmant, Alina wrote:
> Hi There:
>  
> I don't know where this 28.6 oC being 3 oC higher than annual high came from.  I have been working in la Parguera PR since the 70s and 29 oC is the normal summer high in the Aug-Sept time frame.  Someone needs to check their historical data....
>  
> Alina Szmant
>  
> *******************************************************************
> Dr. Alina M. Szmant
> Coral Reef Research Group
> UNCW-Center for Marine Science 
> 5600 Marvin K. Moss Ln
> Wilmington NC 28409
> Tel: (910)962-2362 & Fax:  (910)962-2410
> Cell:  (910)200-3913
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> ________________________________
>
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov on behalf of Jeremy Taylor
> Sent: Wed 8/23/2006 11:26 AM
> To: caribbean-biodiversity at yahoogroups.com; carib-coral-reefs at yahoogroups.com; global-islands-biodiversity at yahoogroups.com; marine_biology_international at yahoogroups.com; Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: [Coral-List] Scientists Issue Second Coral Warning Due to HighCaribbean Sea Temperatures
>
>
>
> Scientists Issue Second Coral Warning Due to High Caribbean Sea Temperatures
>
> August 23, 2006 - By Mat Probasco, Associated Press
> CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands - Scientists issued a warning Tuesday
> that temperatures in the Caribbean Sea were abnormally high and approaching
> levels that could be disastrous for coral reefs -- many of which suffered
> unprecedented die-offs last year due to hot waters.
>
> Sea temperatures around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands reached
> about 83.66 degrees Fahrenheit (28.7 degrees Celsius) -- 3.36 degrees
> Fahrenheit (0.2 degrees Celsius) warmer than their annual average high,
> which normally occurs in September or October, said Al Strong, a scientist
> with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coral Reef
> Watch.
>
> NOAA alerted scuba-dive operators and underwater researchers in the U.S.
> Caribbean territories to look for coral damage and to be careful around the
> reefs, which are easily damaged by physical contact, Strong told The
> Associated Press in a telephone interview from Maryland. The agency issued a
> warning that is in effect until the waters cool off.
>
> Researchers fear hot summer temperatures could be disastrous for reefs
> recovering from widespread damage last year, when up to 40 percent of coral
> died in abnormally warm seas around the U.S. Virgin Islands. Scientists have
> not pinpointed what is behind the warm sea temperatures but some speculate
> global warming might be the cause.
>
> Full story at http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11116
>
>
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-- 
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *******
Alan E. Strong, Ph.D.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch, Senior Consultant
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
  e-mail: Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
url: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

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