[Coral-List] Potential Bleaching Alert: El Nino heating up central Pacific
Mark Eakin
Mark.Eakin at noaa.gov
Thu Jan 11 11:20:00 EST 2007
Here at Coral Reef Watch we have been watching an area of warming
develop in the mid-tropical Pacific.
Howland and Baker Islands
Thermal stress in the area of Howland and Baker Islands has reached
Degree Heating Week (DHW) values of 15-18. However, HotSpots have
currently dropped to less than 1, so no further DHW accumulation is
taking place at this time.
Kiribati - Gilbert Islands
Thermal stress in this region is still warming with temperatures
above the bleaching threshold. DHW values of 5-10 are being felt in
this area and are rising.
Solomon Islands
Calm winds for more than a week in the region east of Honiara and
north of Ndeno are contributing to a large HotSpot region. DHW
values are still below alert levels (>4), but a Bleaching Warning is
now in effect for the reefs around the Santa Cruz Islands.
We encourage anyone working in this region to report either bleaching
or non-bleaching in this area at:
http://www.reefbase.org/contribute/bleachingreport.aspx
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
with the image of the central Pacific located at: http://
www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhwp.1.9.2007.gif
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------
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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