Florida Ocean Temperatures Break Another Record

ABC News reports:

Floridians usually flock to the ocean to escape the summer heat. But this week, it may not have been much help as sea surface temperatures soared to the mid-90s, even encroaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit at some points.

Some of the highest temperatures are off South Florida, with a NOAA buoy off the tip of the state recording a water temperature of nearly 97 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Old Port Tampa recorded temperatures surpassing 94 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, while a buoy in nearby Clearwater Beach recorded temperatures as high as 91 degrees the same day.  Average temperatures in the Gulf Coast typically remain in the mid-80s in July on average, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.

The New York Times reports:

Florida’s coral reefs are facing what could be an unprecedented threat from a marine heat wave that is warming the Gulf of Mexico, pushing water temperatures into the 90s Fahrenheit.

The biggest concern for coral isn’t just the current sea surface temperatures in the Florida Keys, even though they are the hottest on record. The daily average surface temperature off the Keys on Monday was just over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, or 32.4 Celsius, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The real worry, scientists say, is that it’s only July. Corals typically experience the most heat stress in August and September. “We’re entering uncharted territories,” Derek Manzello, an ecologist and the coordinator of NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch program, said.