[Coral-List] Re: Coral Bleaching in the Florida Keys
Jim Hendee
Jim.Hendee at noaa.gov
Thu Aug 18 20:09:14 UTC 2005
Whoops, I meant LOW 30s! The Keys are not melting!!
Cheers,
Jim
Jim Hendee wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> We have been receiving coral bleaching alerts from our CREWS (Coral
> Reef Early Warning System) stations in the Florida Keys, and there
> have been warnings from the NESDIS HotSpots products. Today extensive
> coral bleaching was observed by Captain Chris Humphrey of the Florida
> Institute of Oceanography at the Fowey Rocks SEAKEYS station, in
> Biscayne Bay (near Miami). He also observed extensive bleaching at
> the Long Key site on the Florida Bay side of the Keys. Some bleaching
> was also observed at Sombrero Key (e.g., see CREWS report, below)about
> a week ago, with ~25% of hard corals and ~75% of fire corals
> exhibiting bleaching. We have been receiving CREWS bleaching alerts
> also from Sand Key, in the lower Florida Keys, but we have no
> observations from there yet. The conditions in the Keys now (and for
> the last couple of weeks) are high 30s sea temperature, low winds, and
> bright sunny days.
>
> Unfortunately, the satellite transmitter for Fowey Rocks was fixed
> only today, so we do not have data for the last week or so. However,
> here is the most recent CREWS report from the SEAKEYS station:
>
> ~~~~ Coral Bleaching Alert for Fowey Rocks 08/18/2005 ~~~~
>
> Rule-TW7 (6)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching afternoon on 08/18/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.5), and wind
> speed was very low (about 6.4) during afternoon (but PAR not measured).
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> To see the SEAKEYS raw data reports, go to
> http://www.coral.noaa.gov/seakeys/real_data.shtml
>
> That is all for now.
>
> Yours,
> Jim
>
>
> ~~~~ Coral Bleaching Alert for Sombrero Reef 08/18/2005 ~~~~
>
>
> Rule-T8 (3)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching evening on 08/18/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.0).
>
> Rule-T5 (6)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching afternoon on 08/17/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.5).
>
> Rule-T8 (3)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching mid-day on 08/17/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.0).
>
> Rule-T5 (6)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching afternoon on 08/16/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.3).
>
> Rule-T8 (3)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching evening on 08/14/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.1).
>
> Rule-T8 (3)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching midnight on 08/14/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.1).
>
> Rule-TW5 (12)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching afternoon on 08/13/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.3), and wind
> speed was very low (about 4.0) during afternoon (but PAR not measured).
>
> Rule-TW7 (6)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching afternoon on 08/13/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.1), and wind
> speed was very low (about 5.3) during afternoon (but PAR not measured).
>
> Rule-TW7 (6)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching afternoon on 08/12/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.1), and wind
> speed was very low (about 6.0) during afternoon (but PAR not measured).
>
> Rule-T5 (6)
> Conditions possibly favorable for bleaching afternoon on 08/12/2005,
> because FIO sea temperature was very high (about 31.3).
>
> *** Mean sea temperature for all temperatures
> in data report dated 08/18/2005 is 30.96
>
> ~~~~~~~
> H sea temp points: 30
> H sea temp, L wind points: 24
>
> Number of rules triggered: 10
>
>
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