The surface ocean temperature around Florida Keys rose to 38.43 degrees Celsius this week. This ocean heat could be a global record. According to US government data, a water temperature buoy located in Manatee Bay in Everglades National Park recorded a temperature of 38.43 degrees Celsius late Monday afternoon.
Other nearby buoys exceeded 38 degrees Celsius. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), normal water temperatures for the region at this time of the year should be between 23 and 31 degrees Celsius.
The temperature recorded this week is nearly the same as a jacuzzi.
Ocean surface temperature records are not kept, but according to a study conducted in 2020, the highest temperature observed was 37.61 degrees Celsius in the Persian Gulf.
The South Florida coast is struggling with an extreme heatwave that threatens marine life and ocean ecosystems.
