[Coral-List] Caribbean Remains slightly warm

[Mark Eakin]

Temperatures in the Caribbean continue slightly above normal.   
Temperatures across the Caribbean and western North Atlantic remain  
approximately 0.5-1.0 degrees C above the maximum monthly mean.  All  
of our Atlantic index sites are at Bleaching Watch status except for  
Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas.  Caribbean temperatures continue  
to be significantly lower than 2005 and just below the bleaching  
threshold.  Only a small area near the panhandle of Florida has  
accumulated Degree Heating Weeks.

We are cautiously optimistic that new bleaching will not be a major  
issue in the Caribbean during 2006.

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

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

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Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226
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