NZ Marine Heatwave; Oceans Pushing 2C Above Historic Averages After Warmest Winter On Record
Climate scientists are warning New Zealand is on the brink of a marine heatwave after recording temperatures nearly two degrees above average in coastal waters off the North Island. Forecasters at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said a marine heatwave is building, with above-average temperatures reported throughout October, following a record warm winter.
A marine heatwave is defined as an extended period of extremely warm ocean temperatures, above the 90th percentile, that can extend up to thousands of kilometres.
The warmest seas are north of the North Island, where ocean temperatures are 1.6 degrees Celsius above the November monthly average. Sea temperatures off the coast of Northland are between 18 and 21ᵒC. NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said temperatures in other parts of the country were between 0.7 and 1.1 degrees above average.
“Nine times out of 10, Northland’s sea temperatures are cooler than what they are right now for the time of year. This makes what we are seeing now quite unusual,” Noll said. “We’re not even at the peak of our sea surface temperatures which typically occur over January and February.”
EDIT
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/18/new-zealand-marine-heatwave-looms-following-warmest-winter-on-record
= new reply since forum marked as read
not that climate related info is light hearted!
OTOH, glad you find it informative!
