Sea temperatures in the Caribbean and Tropical Atlantic are at record highs for mid-May, with some areas exceeding the long-standing summer maximum by nearly 3C. Mass coral bleaching and mortality in 2024 are expected to surpass 2023 levels. The heatwave is particularly intense in the Caribbean, where waters are averaging 84.7 degrees F, reaching levels not seen until August or September.
The epicenter of the Atlantic heat wave is the Caribbean, where waters are now averaging 84.7 degrees F, a weekly temperature never seen before August, and already reaching well above the average annual peak that typically isn’t reached until September. https://t.co/tbusGIq5l8
The Tropical Atlantic has never been this hot before in May. A severe marine heatwave has developed across much of the Tropical Atlantic and Caribbean, with water temperatures up to 5-7°F above normal in some areas. Water temperatures in the Caribbean have already exceeded… https://t.co/4o4ZfkgJXc
This is outlandish. The Tropical Atlantic Ocean heat content is so far above normal it’s now normal for Mid August. The stored potential energy in the Atlantic is unreal this year, building on top of last year’s absurdity. 1/ https://t.co/X39QpbN0mg https://t.co/ONTJpP5QEl
The Tropical Atlantic is not just record hot overall, it’s record hot in each basin. https://t.co/hULRcKc1Hs https://t.co/frAq7aSyrS
En Fuego! We've been telling you that the Tropical Atlantic is record hot overall. But more impressive is that each basin including the North Atlantic as a whole, Tropical Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico SST's are all in record territory. Thanks @DrKimWood for the GFX! https://t.co/r57xJLgqaf
Sea-surface temperatures near Puerto Rico are off the scale record hot for the time of year - similar to August-September levels https://t.co/NfPvYeqK7U
It’s only mid-May, but sea temperatures in parts of the Caribbean are now exceeding the long-standing summer maximum. It’s already nearly 3C hotter than average. Mass coral bleaching and mortality in 2024 is already shaping up to rival or exceed 2023. https://t.co/fWBmm9J0G4 https://t.co/uaKkIYPvd1