Marine Heatwaves Trending Up Sharply

Climate Central released analysis today charting the number of Marine Heatwave days recorded worldwide since 1900. The release also includes a map of sea surface temperature anomalies for July 2020, showing significantly high measurements across the globe.

Heatwaves don’t just occur on land. Marine heatwaves are increasing in frequency and duration due to climate change, impacting marine ecosystems and industries.

The world’s oceans are heating up. Sea surface temperatures have risen by 2.3°F (1.3°C) in the last 100 years, with more than 90 percent of the planetary warming between 1971-2010 occurring in the ocean. This warming has increased the likelihood of marine heatwaves (MHW). A relatively new area of study, MHWs when ocean water temperatures are much warmer than normal (usually above the 90th percentile of their climatological distribution) for at least five consecutive days. Successive heatwaves with gaps of two days or less are considered part of the same event.

Warm ocean waters strengthen tropical storms and hurricanes, and this year’s ocean temperatures are fueling one of the most active starts to a hurricane season on record. In early August, NOAA updated its hurricane season outlook, projecting 19-25 named storms, of which 7-11 will become hurricanes.

Research has shown that environmental extremes may have stronger impacts on ecosystems and species than slow changes in average conditions over longer time periods, both on land and in marine environments. Documented impacts of marine heatwaves include:

• Large scale shifts in location in species
• Collapses of kelp forests
• Unprecedented die-offs of sea birds
• Coral bleaching
• Death of marine invertebrates from heat stress
• Fishery closures and changes to fishing quotas

With MHWs projected to become more intense, frequent, and longer in duration in the coming decades, scientists are working to be able to forecast and predict their development. This would help stakeholders, including fishery managers and those in the fishing industry to work together to anticipate and mitigate potential impacts on marine species.

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Courtesy: Climate Central