- Water temperatures in the mid-90s pose a danger to delicate reefs, making it difficult for swimmers to find relief from Florida’s scorching summer weather.
- The combination of heat and humidity can bring temperatures near 110 degrees Celsius over the weekend.
- Adding to the heat wave, dust particles from the Sahara Desert are expected to blow across the Atlantic and deposit in South Florida, impacting air quality and causing afternoon rains typical of Florida’s summer. decrease the incidence of
Record-breaking global ocean heating has hit Florida with ferocity.
Mid-90s water temperatures are threatening delicate reefs, depriving swimmers of cooler depths, and adding to the Sunshine State’s already harsh summer weather. Weather forecasters warn of high humidity and temperatures nearing 110 degrees by the end of the week.
If that isn’t enough, Florida is about to get a lot of dust from Africa’s Sahara desert that can degrade air quality.
The World Meteorological Organization said Monday that the Earth is hotter than modern measurements, using data from Japan’s Meteorological Agency to confirm unofficial records that the University of Maine’s climate reanalyzer reported nearly every day last week. announced that it will continue for a week. Japan reported Friday’s average global temperature was 0.5 degrees warmer than the hottest August 2016 recorded.
Climate change is linked to more extreme and lethal events, meteorologists say, as global sea surface temperatures hit record highs since April and the North Atlantic has experienced unusually hot weather since mid-March. It is reported to continue.
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“We are in uncharted territory and expect more records to come,” said Christopher Hewitt, director of the WMO’s Climate Service. “This is alarming news for the planet.”
Now it’s Florida’s turn.
Water temperatures near Johnson Quay hit nearly 96 degrees on Sunday evening, according to NOAA buoys. Another buoy near Vakakie showed a value close to 95. Meteorologists say this time of year is about five degrees warmer than normal.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Andrew Olison, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. “The water is so warm that it takes a long time to cool down.”
Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami, said the 95- and 96-degree numbers occurred in shallow water, but “much of Florida is very warm with water temperatures between 90 and 93 degrees Fahrenheit.” . He said a 95-degree pool doesn’t cool you down, it just keeps you wet.
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Orison said water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and the southwestern Atlantic are four to five degrees warmer than normal. Because the water is so warm, Florida’s air is more humid, and “that makes things harder or more oppressive for people going out,” he said.
The heat domes that devoured Texas and Mexico for most of the early summer, according to Orison and McNoldy, seeped sunshine all the way to Florida, with cool clouds and little rain, but a hot sea. Humidity worsened.
Not only will this weather continue for some time, as weather patterns appear to be stagnant (a sign of climate change, some scientists claim), but the additional heat and humidity forecast by NOAA “It might actually be a little bit worse,” Olison said, with the heat index hovering around 110 by the end of the week.
It can get even worse. Temperatures of 110 degrees are expected in the southwestern United States, which includes Arizona, New Mexico and southeastern California, Orison said. Death Valley will see highs of 120 to 125, possibly a very insane 130 by the end of the week.
At Hollywood Beach, south of Fort Lauderdale, Monday’s 91 degrees was about average, and the wind was enough for Glenn Stout to do lunges and calisthenics with a 15-pound ball. said. Except he wore shoes on the hot sand.
Swimmers are pictured enjoying the Atlantic Ocean at Hollywood Beach, Florida. High water temperatures pose a threat to coral reefs, and in summer heat increases.
“It’s funny when first-timers and tourists come half way down and find their feet burned,” Stout said. “They start running, but it doesn’t matter how fast they run. You have to get them into the water.”
Scientists worry about corals in that warm water.
“Heat stress is likely to build up very early in the season, which can lead to severe bleaching,” said former NOAA top reef scientist Mark Eakin of the International Coral Reef Association. Bleaching weakens corals. Prolonged heat is required to kill it.
“We’ve already received reports of bleaching events from Belize, and it’s very worrying for the beginning of the summer,” said Liv Williamson, a scientist at the University of Miami’s Coral Reef Futures Institute. He said global projections put a 90% chance of large-scale bleaching on many reefs, including the Pacific islands along the equator, the tropical eastern Pacific of Panama, the Caribbean coast of Central America and Florida. .
“It’s still July, and this heat will continue to accumulate,” Williamson said in an email. “And these corals will be forced to cope with dangerously warm conditions for much longer than usual.” would,’ he said.
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Coral bleaching and death are becoming more frequent with climate change, especially during El Niño events, with the last super El Niño event in 2016 losing half of the corals off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Williamson said. said.
Scientists say a new El Niño event, along with increasing warming from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, is partly to blame for the current heat.
Then there is dust from the Sahara Desert.
With so little rain to keep the soil in place, dust particles from the Sahara are often blown across the Atlantic by upper winds at this time of year. It doesn’t happen often, because it takes strong winds to sweep it all the way to Florida.
One plume sank over South Florida on Monday, and another plume is expected later in the week, according to Miami National Weather Service meteorologist Sammy Huddy. The volcanic plume typically stays for two to three days, drying the air and reducing afternoon rains typical of a Florida summer.
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In addition, sunlight reflects off dust particles, producing more vivid sunrises and sunsets.
“In general, sunrises and sunsets are more vivid and beautiful,” Hadi said.