Pacific Ocean Heat Wave Shatters Records
Greetings to you! The Pacific Ocean is now experiencing a sobering and increasing marine heat wave, which measures around 5,000 miles from Japan to the West Coast of the United States. It’s unbelievably warm and is evident from human-caused global warming.
“The hot ocean waters around Japan contributed to that country’s hottest summer on record, which featured its all-time national maximum temperature record, set on August 5, at 107.2 degrees Fahrenheit.”
“On the other side of the Pacific, the ocean heat is also yielding higher humidity in northern California at the start of meteorological fall, and if it persists, could enhance rain and mountain snowfall from wintertime atmospheric rivers.”
Measuring instruments reported that, “The sea surface temperature difference from average across the entire North Pacific smashed an all-time record for the month of August, with reliable data stretching back to the late 19th century.”
What worries scientists is the ongoing and repetitive nature of these warming events. “As climate change causes more heat to be stored in the oceans, ocean temperatures are reaching new heights that could lead to more significant impacts from these heat waves like this.”
According to Michael McPhaden, senior scientist at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), “The North Pacific warmed at the fastest rate of any ocean basin on Earth during the past decade. And the entire North Pacific Ocean Basinis involved in the current marine heat wave, standing out starkly on weather maps. This event is unique for its intensity and extraordinary geographic reach, and for its potential to eventually alter large-scale weather patterns if it continues.”
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles said, “If the broad ocean basin-wide heat wave persists, it could influence the wintertime storm track associated with the jet stream.”
This ocean basin-wide heat wave is known as a “blob of unusually hot water” from the Gulf of Alaska south to the coast of California.
“Past Northeast Pacific Ocean blobs led to a historic die-off of seabirds in coastal Alaska, and affected fish species along with sea lions and other creatures that call this region home.”
According to Heather Renner, supervisory wildlife biologist at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, “There have been multiple die-offs of marine mammals, seabirds and forage fish in Alaskan waters this summer; we have definitely had an uptick in calls from the public about sick and dead birds. These have all been much smaller than what was seen in 2015-2016 but have affected a wide variety of species.”
Art Miller, an oceanographer at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography explained, “The cause of the ongoing marine heat wave — both the blob in the northeast Pacific and the more enduring anomalies stretching westward to Japan — are the result of persistent anomalous wind conditions associated with stagnant high-and low-pressure areas. These can influence how much cooler ocean waters rise from deeper depths, a process called upwelling.”
“This year, winds have been weaker than normal across the basin or blown in directions that discourage upwelling. When upwelling is curtailed by winds or other factors, surface water temperatures can soar. In recent years, this has become more common in this region during the spring and summer months, usually ending in the fall.”
Miller continued and said, “There is concern that because these anomalies are happening with similar (but not exactly the same) structures that the persistent atmospheric pressure patterns might be part of an adjustment of the Pacific Ocean climate state to global warming conditions driven by greenhouse gases from fossil fuel burning.”
NOAA’s Michael McPhaden said, “Multiple studies have been published that attribute an increase in marine heat waves and accelerated warming in the North Pacific Ocean to global warming pollution from burning fossil fuels. The fingerprint of climate change is clearly evident in what is transpiring now in the North Pacific. The North Pacific has a fever, but the story doesn’t end there. The downstream effects of these marine heatwaves is likely to be significant in terms of how they impact marine organisms, ecosystem structure, fisheries and the weather in the Pacific Northwest. Stay tuned.”
Here’s an Excellent Way to Talk to Kids with “Soft Facts” about Climate Change and Pollution …
One awesome tool for talking to kids about climate change and pollution is to read my fourth installment in the award-winning Kobee Manatee® Children’s Educational Picture Book series. It’s titled, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. It contains “soft facts” about climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans.
When you read this award-winning educational picture book to children, it’s a fun and fictional adventure loaded with weaved in “soft facts” on climate change and plastic pollution. This quickly helps children learn about this serious subject in a fun and entertaining way. Here’s a brief synopsis …
Kobee Manatee, the protagonist and his seafaring pals, Tess the seahorse and Pablo the hermit crab swim from the Cayman Islands to Belize. Kobee wants to help his cousin Quinn clean up plastic litter at her new, all-veggie underwater bistro called Quinn’s Seagrass Café.
On their Caribbean journey they encounter harmful effects of climate change and plastic pollution. As if that wasn’t enough, several other unforeseen problems occur with a distressed loggerhead turtle, a giant Portuguese man-of-war, and a venomous scorpionfish. They’re all amazed when they discover the extraordinary Great Blue Hole. Then their adventure takes another crazy turn when Pablo plunges into its huge abyss!
Each page includes in-depth, scientific details on climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans with Dr. Tracy Fanara, NOAA Research Scientist (aka Inspector Planet). Tracy can be seen on The Weather Channel as a visiting expert and she’s also seen on their “Weird Earth” segments.
We have Fantastic Reviews on this New Release!
“I read the book to my 6-year-old this morning while he was having his breakfast before school and he loved it! We talked about the characters, what it meant for the pollution to be in the oceans for all the sea creatures, and how fun the story was. Thank you so much for writing such a great story for kids that is not only entertaining, but has a message!” – Jessica Vilchis, Co-Host KNBC California Live
“A well-crafted, thoughtful, and well-illustrated addition to a noteworthy educational book series.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Robert Scott Thayer presents an important environmental message in an engaging story with wonderful characters. Anyone who loves the ocean and wants to help save it should read Kobee Manatee: Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. I’m looking forward to the next Kobee Manatee adventure.” —Readers’ Favorite
For young readers who enjoy imaginative tales surrounding affable and heroic sea creatures, as well as parents and/or teachers looking for a way to introduce youngsters to the importance of marine conservation, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard offers a perfect blend. Highly recommended! – Chanticleer Book Reviews
Keep watching for more of my updates on climate change!
If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC). They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.
Here’s the Save the Manatee Club link to learn more about us manatees …
Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …
~ Robert Scott Thayer
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